Just Like Heroin
by VanityWantsYou
Summary: It never ends well when you fall in love with a straight man. LAST CHAPTER BEFORE EPILOGUE. NaruSasu and SasuNaru
1. Naruto and Silo

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**:Gasp: Another story from Vanity-san? How do I manage to do all of this?.! The answer is... boredom. Just sheer boredom. Also, the setting of this story is actually Frederick, MD. I was all "Hmm, might as well make this hell hole of a place more interesting... by adding two hot gay guys and sex! Yosh!" Yes, so, every place in this story is real.**

**Yes, I have an OC in here, but believe me, you'll like him. :cooes: He's so kawaii! And he's a major character in the story... sorta.**

**This story is dedicated to my lovely friend, Xaayp! Aka Weelittleboots! I love you man:cries:**

**Just Like Heroine**

**chapter one- The rich and not so rich**

A bubblegum-haired girl leaned against the glass that seperated the customers from the delicious Subway sandwhiches, her emerald eyes scanning the rather large (and messy) eating area. A wide smile graced her glossy lips as realization dawned upon her.

"It's not my turn to clean tonight!" she cheered, pumping a fist in the air. After her sudden moment of joy, she straightened her black uniform shirt and quickly ran out of the small restuarant, her sneakers scuffing up the violet tiled floor, "Naruto!" she called.

Not even a second later, a rather tall blond came out of the frozen food aisle. His unruly hair stuck up in all directions, but it framed his slender face perfectly. His figure was that of a stereotypical athlete, but not too thick. His abs weren't well-defined, but you could definitely see them through his tight black shirt. And hung low on his hips were baggy orange cargo pants, a studded belt holding them up, but not very much, exposing a bit of his checkered boxers and smooth, tan skin.

But if anyone in Wal-mart were to be asked which part of Naruto they liked the best, everyone would answer the same; his beautiful cerulean eyes. Except for one of the employees in electronics, Hirota Sai. He would be the only one to answer differently. "His penis," was always the reply.

"Yeah, Sakura-chan?" Naruto had his uniform vest slung over his right shoulder as he approached his friend.

The girl known as Sakura smiled sweetly as she tucked a stray strand of pink hair behind an ear, "It's Tuesday, Naruto, and you know what that means!"

The blond blinked slightly slanted blue eyes, "Um..."

Sakura frowned and put her hands on her hips, the golden bracelets around her wrists clanging together, "It means it's your turn to clean this place up! Now get to it, I'm sure you'll want to get home before ten," she smirked slightly(1).

Naruto's face fell and he pouted, a look you'd never expect to see on such a grown man, "B-but-- Sakura-chan, I'm tired!"

"That's no excuse!" the girl hissed, "it's your turn, so get to work," she patted her friend on the chest before going past him, muttering a good-bye to the manager as she passed him on the way out.

_But I... I have to pick up Silo(2)! _ he practically tore his hair out and screamed, but a poke to the forehead kept him from doing so.

"You should've lengthened his watching time at the center," the manager, Jiraiya, said with a gruff voice, his long white hair tied back, as usual, "but if you think they'll kick him out...?" he scratched under his chin.

"No, I know they won't," the blond sighed, "but I promised him we'd go to the pet store as soon as I got off of work... I promised him a **week** ago, Ero-Sannin!"

Jiraiya groaned, _He tries too hard to be a good dad, _"If you go, that's fifty dollars off your pay tomorrow."

Naruto grinned widely, "I don't need it!" he jumped onto the older man and hugged him firmly, making Jiraiya cough and shove him off.

"As much as I would love you hugging me until my spine snaps, I think you should get going. Your darling little Kuma-chan needs you(3)."

"Right!" saluting, Naruto stuffed his Wal-mart vest into one of his cargo pockets and headed out the door.

xXxXx

Inside of the learning center, about eight children were sitting on the floor, all of them trying to put together a massive puzzle one of their watchers bought for them. One of the girls smiled when she saw her older sister walk into the room, waving for her to get her stuff.

"Coming!" she chirped, leaping off of the floor and grabbing her Dora the Explorer bag, "bye everyone!" she then blushed slightly and looked at one of the boys, "b-bye, Silo..." then she ran off, following her sister out of the center.

The boy known as Silo had short pitch black hair, but his gorgeously slanted asian eyes were a startling blue. He looked at the entrance door in confusion as his friend ran out, _Why didn't she wait for me to say bye?_

"Silo, are you done with your part of the puzzle yet?" one of the other boys, Caleb, asked. He moved his part in place and connected it with another.

"Um, yeah," the crow smiled and moved his in place too. He sat back and looked up at the clock, watching the red hand go around.

"I made it!" a voice screeched from the doorway, "Silo, I'm sorry I'm late, but blame Sakura-chan!"

Silo immediately shot up from his spot and grabbed his stuff, running to his dad with a large expecting smile, "I forgive you, Chichiue," the boy stated, smile still in place, "so... are we still going to the pet store like you promised?"

"Yep," Naruto grinned and lifted the small boy up, "and you can pick out any pet you want."

Silo swungs his legs excitedly and waved back to his friends, "Bye!" he said with a slight accent. Laughing as his dad lifted him onto his shoulders, he gripping tightly onto locks of blond hair.

Naruto pushed the door open and ran out into the slightly windy night, running in zigzags and smiling at his son's attempt to make airplane sounds as they reached the car parked at the end of the parking lot.

"Chichiue, I was thinking..." he let himself be pulled from his father's shoulders and he climbed into the back seat of the car, Naruto always telling him it was safer to sit back there, "do you think I could have a pet snake?"

Naruto practically choked on his spit, "A-A snake?"

"Yeah!" Silo cheered excitedly, "Jack and Aaron were talking about them today and--"

"I'm scared of snakes."

The crow blinked, "You're scared of them?"

"Could we not get something so... slithery?" Naruto laughed nervously and got into the driver's side of the car, "even a spider would be better than a snake."

Silo smiled widely, "How about a tiger?"

"Those are illegal," Naruto started the car.

"Ummmm, fine, I'll stick with a puppy," Silo put his seatbelt on and wiggled around in his seat, excited, "and I'll name him Doscha!"

xXxXx

A silver-haired man stood by the cinnamon roll shop inside one of the terminals at the Dulles International Airport, his face from the nose down covered with some sort of dark fishnet cloth. He flipped through an orange book, his black and red eyes scanning every page thoroughly, a grin apparent under his mask.

He didn't even notice someone approach him until he heard them clear their throat. Looking up, the man chuckled, "Welcome to the states, Sasuke."

"There aren't many people," the teen named Sasuke commented with a quick glance over the crowd. He wore an expensive Emporio Armani jacket, waisted with a single button, blue lapels, in blue textured velvet; and he had on a grey cardigan with grapeskin purple features. His trousers were in blue wool with a side pocket and his shoes were derby style in a glossy croc print colour rich brown(4). His raven hair stuck out in the back and long bangs framed his handsome face, the color (along with his obsidian eyes) contrasting well against his pale skin.

"Isn't that a good thing?" the man raised a brow, "I doubt you'd want your fans swarming you in America as well," he smiled, but then lifted a small bag up from beside him, "ah, I have your favorite bag."

Sasuke took it and put it over his shoulder, "Kakashi, I expect that you're the only one who will know of my location for the next two weeks?"

"No one will be bothering you," the man now called Kakashi replied amusedly, "and I bet the news of your disappearance will spread over the globe like wildfire," he held back a laugh, "'Uchiha Sasuke, world famous actor, disappears over night'."

Sasuke smirked and pulled a pair of dark blue Giorgio Armani sunglasses from his trousers, putting them on, "I wanted a vacation to get away from all of that, but it seems I'll only be gaining myself more attention."

"Well, you'll just deal with it all once you return to Tokyo. Right now, you're going to be on vacation," Kakashi tucked his orange book away and stepped over to the luggage belt, grabbing Sasuke's two bags, "I've called Kiba and he has a room ready for you."

Sasuke frowned, "I thought I was staying in a hotel."

"You were, but then I thought it would be nice if you spent time with your old friend. He seemed overly excited when I told him you'd be staying there," Kakashi smiled.

Sasuke held back a smirk, "I suppose I could stay with him. I haven't seen him in a while."

"And I know you're on a break, but I think this would be the perfect time to pick a partner for your upcoming film," the man led them through the airport, "you won't have any stress from your brother while you're here, so it should be easier," Kakashi grinned under his mask, "and American men are just so **hot**, don't you think?"

Sasuke scowled at his manager.

xXxXx

Silo tugged on the doors of the pet supermarket, but they wouldn't budge, his happy expression slipping off of his face immediately, "Ch-Chichiue..." he tried to keep the whining out of his voice, but he failed miserably, tears welling up in his eyes, "the doors are locked..."

_Shit,_ Naruto went up and looked through the glass. The lights were on and workers were bustling around, cleaning and turning the night lamps on for the nocturnal animals and reptiles. He knocked on the glass, but the people ignored him.

"This place closes at 9:00, dammit! It's only 8:35!" he sighed and looked down at his son, the boy on the verge of crying, "I'm sorry..."

Silo sniffled and wiped his eyes, "I-it's ok..." he mumbled, his voice trembling, "w-we can come back some other time, right?"

Naruto bent down and pulled the boy into a hug, _I suck as a dad..._ "How about we go tomorrow? I get off early since it's pay day."

The crow buried his head against Naruto's shoulder and nodded.

xXxXx

As they drove down one of the many highways in Maryland, Sasuke's cellphone rang and he carefully looked at the name, not wanting to answer if it was someone from his brother's company. Taking his sunglasses off, he smirked when he saw the name Inuzuka Kiba. Flipping the phone open, he answered, "Were you too excited to wait for me?"

His friend snorted on the other end, _"As if, Uchiha, don't flatter yourself. You're not the least bit fun to be with."_

Sasuke frowned at that.

_"I was kidding."_

"Hn."

_"Che, same old bastard. But hey, I called to ask you a favor. You think you could stop and pick me up some dog food and chicken feed? I'm all out, man."_

Sasuke crossed his legs and ran a thumb over the tip of his shoe, "You want me to get feed for your farm animals?" he asked, not really excited about it.

_"I'd really appreciate it. I don't wanna give Akamaru table scraps 'cause then he'll get fat and the chicken feed is almost gone. Oh, and the market'll probably be closed, but I'm sure you could get in. Just use your rich person influence!"_

The raven sighed, "Tell me the address and I'll log it into my phone," he listened intently before saying good-bye and ending his call. Opening the directions box at the bottom of the screen, he began texting in the address. He kept it open and as they turned into the exit that led to Frederick, a voice from the cell phone told Kakashi where to go in order to get to the supermarket.

"So, we're going on an errand?" Kakashi's voice hinted that he was smiling in amusement.

"Just keep quiet and drive," Sasuke looked out the window, watching two teenagers on bikes zoom by.

xXxXx

"I guess we should get home," Naruto sighed, lifting the upset little boy into his arms, "unless... maybe you want some icecream first?" he smiled.

Silo wiped his eyes again and nodded cutely, "Pumpkin pie icecream?"

Naruto grinned and bounced the boy up and down in his arms, "As much as you want."

His mood becoming brighter, Silo wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck, "Arigato, Chichiue!"

The blond was happy that his son wasn't crying anymore. He felt like the child was always sad, even though he smiled and laughed just as much as Naruto did. It was just... all of the tears Silo had shed when his mother left, it left a scar in Naruto's heart. It was so hard to see his own son cry and ask if it was his fault his mommy was gone.

Carrying the boy to the car, he opened the door, but squinted as the headlights of a car shined in his eyes. The vehicle parked beside his and a raven-haired teenager stepped out, his stylish and expensive brand of clothes making Naruto feel slightly inferior.

Not even glancing at the blond, Sasuke approached the doors and knocked until he finally got the attention of someone, the girl rushing to the door and unlocking it, a blush on her cheeks, "I'm so sorry, sir, but the store is--"

Naruto watched as Sasuke held up what he could only suspect to be an ID. He raised both golden brows as the girl stuttered and somehow, her face become even more red as she opened the door to let him in. Eyes widening, Naruto ran to them before the doors could close, Silo still in his arms, confused.

"E-Excuse me!"

Both the girl and Sasuke turned.

"Since you let him in... do you think we could come in too? I promised my son I'd bring him tonight and when we got here, the doors were locked. Please, it'll only take a--"

"I'm sorry, but we can't let people in after hours," the girl stated.

Naruto growled, "Then what is **he **doing here?" he pointed to Sasuke, "I'm sure he doesn't work here with the way he's dressed!"

"Sir--"

"**Please**, I promised my son!" Naruto begged, his blue eyes pleading, "I've been a bad enough father, let me just-- let me at least do something right for once."

Sasuke raised two fine brows at the tone on the blond's voice, then he let his eyes wander from him to the boy in his arms, _He looks to be around the age of five... _he glanced back up to Naruto, _and he seems to be around twenty..._

"Why don't you just come back tomorrow?" the girl asked, frustrated.

"Let him come in. He's with me," Sasuke said smoothly, causing both the worker and Naruto to look at him in surprise.

_He doesn't even know you! _ the girl inwardly scowled.

Naruto suddenly grinned, "Yeah! I'm with him!" he put Silo down and the crow happily ran to the animals, curious as to what kinds of snakes they had, even though he knew he couldn't get one.

"R-right, I'll go open a register for you two when you're done," the girl glared at Naruto before going to one of the registers.

"Thank you so much, um..."

"Uchiha Sasuke."

_Huh... that name sounds familiar... _Naruto held out his hand, "Another brother from Japan, eh?" he grinned, "the name's Uzumaki Naruto."

"Charmed," Sasuke stared at the blond's dazzling smile and bright blue eyes, his hand reaching out to shake back.

"Chichiue!" Silo called, pointing to a furry white rabbit, "I want this bunny!"

"I thought you wanted a dog," Naruto let go of Sasuke's hand and smiled to him, "thanks again, Sasuke," he then bowed sloppily before running off to his son.

Sighing, Sasuke looked around, finding a large bag of chicken feed, as well as a bag of dog food. Carrying them both to the register, he paid for them, then went on his way to the exit, stopping only once to glance back at the blond boy and his son.

"Need help?"

The raven looked by the door to see Kakashi there, his eyes in upturned 'u's. Tossing both bags into his manager's arms, he walked past him, "Let's get to Kiba's. I'm tired."

"Yes, sir," Kakashi teased.

**(1)- Even though Wal-mart's open, like, 24/ 7, I'm sure the Subway closes early.**

**(2)- Yes, his name's not Japanese. You'll see why he's called that later on. But personally, I love the name Silo. Pronounced Sai-low.**

**(3)- Jiraiya's nickname for Silo.**

**(4)- Just another version of Giorgio Armani.**

**Please review!**


	2. The Actor and the Cashier

**Disclaimer: It all belongs to K. Masashi. Damn him.**

**Just Like Heroine**

**Chapter two- The Actor and the Cashier**

The alarm clock set atop a small dresser went off, the loud beeping causing a lump to wriggle around under the white sheets of a queen size bed. The blob moved a bit more before a tanned arm reached out from under them, a fist slamming down on the electronic device, effectively shutting it off. A groan resounded throughout the room, followed by a small squeel and a hushed giggle.

The sheets were moved down to reveal a groggy blond, his hair ruffled and his blue eyes holding confusion, _What the...? _ he looked around his bedroom, then got out of bed, rubbing his eyes, "Silo, time to get up," he yawned.

Another figure under the blankets wriggled around, a mop of raven hair popping out from under the white material. Silo smiled widely and sat up, holding his new bunny, "I know what I want to name her now, Chichiue!" the boy said excitedly.

Naruto looked at the white rabbit, it's pink nose twitching cutely, big gooey black eyes staring up at him. He scrunched up his nose, "Did she sleep in bed with us last night?" _so that's what that sound was._

Silo nodded childishly, "I thought she'd be lonely if we made her stay in her cage all night."

"Silo... little bunnies are **supposed** to stay in their cages all night," Naruto sighed, "whatever, just put her in there now so I can get you ready for school."

"Hai!" placing his bunny in her cage, he waved bye, "Bai-bai, Kohi!"

"You named her after coffee?" Naruto asked tiredly, his feet dragging on the carpet, while Silo zoomed by him, his Harry Potter pjs on.

"Yep! Oh, Chichiue, can I have scrambled eggs for breakfast? And toast, too?.?"

"Sure, just go pick some clothes out of the drawers over there," Naruto rubbed his eyes and went into the kitchen, pulling out eggs and butter from the fridge.

Tugging on his jeans and yellow and white hoodie, Silo ran to the hall closet to grab his red gloves and sneakers, "Chichiue?"

"Hm?" the blond began cooking, his sleepiness finally fading away.

"Um, well... at school, they're having a thing where the mothers take their kids to work and..."

Naruto turned and looked at his son sadly, "Silo..."

"Since Okaasan's gone... do you think you could take me to work instead?" the boy looked so hopeful. He desperately didn't want to be left out.

Quickly turning off the stove and scooping the eggs onto a plate, Naruto went to his child. He bent down and pulled him against his chest, "I'd love for you to go with me... but it wouldn't be the same, you know? Don't worry, someday, you'll have another mommy that loves you this much," he pulled away and spread his arms apart as far as they would go, "and she'll love taking you to work and showing you off to her co-workers," he smiled.

Silo smiled too, "I really want an Okaasan who loves me..."

Smiling sadly, Naruto ruffled the boy's hair, "She'll come along soon, I promise."

xXxXx

"Ohayo," Sai greeted his fellow workers with a fake smile.

"Good morning, Sai!" Sakura said cheerfully, straightening out her uniform. She then heard the entrance doors to the food center open and she waved her hand to the entering worker, "Naruto!" she called.

The blond had on baggy army pants and a plain tight, white T-shirt, the belt littered with spikes. Slung over his shoulder (like always) was his Wal-mart vest. Naruto grinned and grabbed a bag of M&M's on his way towards them, "You guys are early today," he tore open the bag and poured a few of the chocolate treats into his mouth.

Hinata blushed faintly, "I-I have an appointment with my therapist this afternoon... so I'm m-making up those hours now..." she trailed off, her pale eyes tracing over the tiles that made up the white floor. She fiddled with the bottom of her vest and she bit her bottom lip nervously.

Naruto sighed, _Poor Hinata..._ the girl was always nervous and shy. Basically because of mental abuse when she was younger. Her father would constantly yell at her, saying how she should be more like her older cousin, Neji... Naruto really didn't know what ever happened to that prat of a boy, but what he did know was that Hinata now had to see a therapist twice a week in order to get better.

Lee patted the girl on the shoulder, causing her to jump, "Do not worry, Hinata-san! You will be over your problems so soon that you will not even realize it! Your beautiful youth will help you through it quickly!"

The blue-haired girl smiled faintly and blushed, "A-arigato, Lee-kun..."

"Oi, kiddies," Jiraiya greeted them as he approched, large hands in his pockets, "I can't believe all five of you are here," he sounded suprised, "um... why?"

"Th-therapist..." Hinata muttered, her bangs covering her downcast eyes.

"My youth awoke me and the beautiful birds outside of my apartment window told me to head into work early this morning!" Lee smiled widely, "so here I am!"

Sakura stared at Lee and made a face before turning back to her boss with a smile, "You know that new romance movie that came out today? Well, I'm here because I wanted to buy a dvd before they're put on the shelves."

Jiraiya's eyes twitched, _What a lovely girl._

Sai flicked a piece of fuzz off of his jeans, "I don't have a reason..."

Naruto grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck, "Uh, well... I need to work extra hours so I can get some more cash... You know, I have to buy Silo some warm clothes before winter..."

"Awww, poor Silo," Sakura clasped her hands together, "I'll help pay for some clothes, Naruto!"

Naruto smiled greatfully, "Thanks, Sakura."

"Well, since you guys are here, why don't you get to work instead? And Gaki, I'm taking the money for those M&M's out of your paycheck," Jiraiya grumbled.

"E-Ero-sannin!" the blond cried.

xXxXx

About a year ago, Naruto and his friends had wanted to be a part of a student transfer program, all of them being sent to Maryland to study up on english and such while they did their Japanese courses online. They had all needed jobs in order to sustain a normal teenage living in America, so they applied at Wal-mart. Luckily, there were enough spots for all of them. Sakura, a worker at Subway; Sai, in the electronics; Lee, in the back bringing in new cargo; Hinata, a deli worker; and Naruto, a cashier.

As you could tell, letting all of them work together wasn't such a brilliant idea on Jiraiya's behalf...

"Give it back!" Sakura screeched, lunging at Naruto and digging her lime green nails into his arm. When the blond still didn't let go of her precious item, she bit his shoulder, making him yelp and drop the dvd. Grabbing it, she backed away and glared at him.

"Y-you bit me!" Naruto said with disbelief, "you crazy whore!"

Sai sat behind the counter, flipping through a magazine littered with buff men in tight leather shorts. He glanced up at Naruto to see the blond rubbing his sore shoulder, "Naruto-san, Sakura-san... could you please go back to your work stations?" he asked indifferently, "you're scaring away my customers."

"Sure," Naruto grumbled before snatching the dvd back from Sakura and running off with it.

"Naruto!.!" the pink-haired girl screamed and took off, "give it back! I paid good money for that!"

"Pft, yeah, twenty dollars," he rolled his eyes, "how expensive!" he looked down at the cover as he continued to run, going into the toy aisles, _Starring Kitani Shiro and Uchiha Sasuke..._ he stopped abruptly, _Wait... isn't that-- _ He didn't get to finish his train of thought before an Avatar (Prince Zuko to be more precise) toy was pelted at his head.

"I will capture the Avatar!" the small toy growled.

Sakura glared at her friend and held out her hand, "Give it to me before I whack you with Aang's gluider," she hissed.

Naruto rubbed the back of his skull and handed the movie over, "I think you broke something..." he whimpered.

"Payback's a bitch," the girl hugged the dvd to her chest and stormed off.

"A-are you alright...?" Hinata asked as she peeked around the corner of the aisles. She blushed cutely, "she didn't hurt you... d-did she?"

"Nah, I think I'm ok," Naruto grinned to the girl, completely forgetting about the names on the dvd, "Oi, Hinata, how come you're not at the deli?"

"W-well," she tapped her pointer fingers together shyly, "things were slow... a-and Katie-san...she said I could leave and help Lee-kun with setting some t-toys up..."

"Ah, well, I should get back to my register. I bet there's customers up there all pissed off that one single line is closed," he rolled his eyes and smiled at the blushing girl, "I'll see you around later, Hinata!" he waved to her and ran off, crossing through the clothes sections and popping out near the registers.

"Register twelve is open!" he called out, shoving the little sign that read "closed" under the counter next to the trash can. He grinned when an elderly woman came up to him and placed her two items on the counter, her hands shaking slightly, "Good afternoon, ma'am!" he then rung up the items with a bright smile, "that'll be $8.36!"

The woman searched through her small change wallet, her spectacles making her brown eyes look enormous. Naruto sighed when he realized this would take a while. Tapping his fingers by the keyboard of his work computer, he began whistling a small tune until finally, the woman had her money sitting on the counter for him, "Thank you," he bowed his head and scooped the money up, placing it in the cash register.

The next few hours were filled with nothing but boring people. There was the occasional old man who felt like he had to share the events of his entire life with the blond while he pulled out quarter after quarter. But there were also the adorable kids trailing behind their parents, their chubby cheeks just begging to be pinched. It was an old habit of his, he guessed. He had always adored pinching Silo's cheeks when he was a baby.

He sighed and cracked his knuckles, looking over to see the store's slushie machine. He licked his lips and looked around. Seeing no customer rushing to his register, he snatched a polar bear cup from above his computer and took off.

A few of the Vietnamese women in the nail shop looked up, their lower faces covered with a white mask as they whispered to each other in their native language, laughing every once and a while as they snuck glances at the blond.

_Hmmm, cherry or coke...? _he debated the options in his head before choosing the delicious soda one, _Nothing better than the burning feeling you get when you swallow it, _ putting a lid on it and shoving in a straw, he strolled back to his station, blinking when he saw a customer, "O-Oh, sorry, sir!" he apologized and took his spot behind the counter. He rung up the items up and couldn't help but snicker, "Lube and rubber gloves?" he asked himself, not knowing he said it out loud.

"Thinking something dirty?" the customer asked.

Naruto looked up and grinned when he saw Sasuke, "Hey! Look who it is!"

Sasuke nodded his head in acknowledgment, "I suppose it's nice to see you again, as well."

Naruto chuckled, "Well, your total comes up to $6.54," he said while taking a sip of his slushie.

While using his Visa to pay, Sasuke looked up near the computer, noticing a picture of the little boy he saw with Naruto.

"With the way you're dressed... and the type of car you were in the other night, I'd never expect you to go shopping in a place like this," Naruto commented while handing the raven his receipt

"I really don't have a choice, do I? There's not many places to choose from around here," taking the paper, he stuffed it into one of his pockets.

"That's true..." Naruto sighed as he slurped down the rest of his beverage, "damn... there's no way I can take another one without Ero-sannin noticing me..."

Sasuke eyed the empty cup in the blond's hand before tugging his only cash out of his wallet, setting it on the counter, "Are they good?" he asked with a slight smirk.

Looking at him suspiciously, Naruto nodded.

"I have about five dollars here, so I'd like to buy two cups," he smirked fully when he was handed two cups and another receipt. Walking over to the slushie machine, he poured cherry into one and coke into the other. Turning, he saw that Naruto was now dealing with another customer; an older gentleman. He placed the drinks onto the counter without the blond even noticing, then he walked off, hands in his pockets.

"Thank you, sir," Naruto bowed to that man as well, spotting something colorful in the corner of his eye. He made a sound mixed between a gasp and squeel when he saw the slushies, "H-he..." he grinned brightly, "What a charitable bastard!"

xXxXx

"Chichiue!" Silo jumped into his father's arms, "can we go see a movie?.!" he asked excitedly, clearly hyper, "Jack said Eragon was good! I wanna go see it!" he wiggled around in Naruto's arms.

Naruto laughed, "How about we go on Saturday? I have that day off."

Silo pouted, but nodded, "But Chichiue... can we at least go get something to eat? Today's lunch was really icky," he stuck his tongue out, "nasty chicken sandwhiches with broccoli."

Naruto scrunched his nose up, "Ew, that does sound gross. Oh! How about we go to Taco Bell? I'm in a challupa mood."

Silo nodded quickly, "Jack said I should try the nachos!"

The older male fixed Silo's messy bangs, "Who's this Jack kid? You seem to talk to him a lot."

The small raven blushed and pointed to a young brunnet playing bloody knuckles with another boy, his skin a light tan and his eyes a steel grey. Silo fidgeted with Naruto's shirt collar and he looked away.

Naruto blinked and made an 'o' with his mouth, "Y-You like him? I mean, **like** him, like him?"

Blushing more, Silo nodded his head, "A-are you mad that I... like another boy?"

"Not at all! 'Cause, ya know, Sai's gay," he ruffled his son's hair and smiled fondly, "I wouldn't even care if you decided to get a sex change."

Silo cocked his head to the side, "What's a sex change?"

"Eh... I'll explain that to you when you're older."

xXxXx

The Taco bell was pretty much empty, so that made an excited Silo even happier. He jumped around and laughed while Naruto ordered them some nachos and two challupas.

After the blond received his order, he sat down, calling Silo to sit down with him. The boy happily obliged and took his seat, his feet dangling a good three inches above the ground. He quickly began to chow down on the nachos, sauce from the meat smearing along his chin and lips.

"Slow down," Naruto laughed, "I don't think dear little Jack would like a messy boy like you."

Silo flushed and immediately wiped the sauce away.

Naruto smiled slightly, _He's growing up so fast... But thank god he's gay and won't get some girl pregnant..._

He sighed thankfully and took a bite of his challupa.


	3. You're a very Convincing Queer

**Disclaimer: Why do I even bother with this? I do not own Naruto.**

**Haha, awww, wittle Silo-chan likes Jack XD**

The sun rose up into the sky, its bright shine beaming through the thin slits of a bedroom window. The golden rays ran over two closed eyelids, making them twitch and open, black orbs appearing. Yes, it was a gorgeous Saturday morning and Uchiha Sasuke wanted nothing to do with it. All he wanted was to stay in bed and sleep the day away, but knowing Kiba, that wouldn't happen.

"Get your ass up, Sasuke!" a voice screamed from the other side of the locked door. There was a loud slam against the oak door before footsteps could be heard going down the creaky barn house steps.

The raven groaned in annoyance and slowly sat up, his dark hair in low spiky tuffs. Running slim fingers through tangles, he stood up, hissing at the feeling of the cold floor against his heated skin. He stretched, bones popping, and he frowned when he saw the horses out in the pasture below his bedroom window. When the horses were out, that meant Kiba was going to wash them... and that usually meant Sasuke had to help as well.

Slipping on a pair of working jeans, he stepped over to his closet, pulling out a set of boots Kiba had given him the night before. He put those on, then grabbed a simple blue T-shirt, the cloth hugging his slender frame in all the right places. Opening his door, he went downstairs, nodding to Kakashi who was sitting at the kitchen table, a mug of steaming coffee in his grip.

"I'm guessing you know of the agenda this morning?" Kakashi had his mask off, his handsome face revealed.

Sasuke snorted and stuffed his hands in his pockets, "I saw the horses from my window," he pushed open the sliding glass door before slipping outside, the gentle breeze caressing his porcelain skin, "is Kiba already out in the pasture?"

"He just left," Kakashi took a sip of his beverage.

The raven closed the glass door and headed out into the slightly tall grass, his boots sinking in mud. He glared at the moist earth before making his way to his friend, the brunnet already working on one horse with a sopping wet scrub brush.

"Took you long enough," Kiba grinned, flashing his abnormally sharp canines. His large dog, Akamaru, was by his side (as always) and the white animal seemed to be interested in watching the horse's tail swish back and forth, "has the world of the rich and famous gotten you used to waking up late?"

Sasuke smirked, "No, I just happen to have a job that doesn't require me to be up at the crack of dawn."

"Whatever, Pretty boy," Kiba chuckled, "get to work on one of the males. Just be careful because some of 'em might be a bit frisky."

Sasuke held back a twitch, "I don't want to be raped by a horse, so I think I'll clean one of the females."

Kiba shrugged, a grin still plastered on his face, "Hey, have you found any good actors yet? Ya know, for your new movie?"

"I haven't been searching. This small place seems to only be filled with the elderly and teens with A.D.D," he began scrubbing at a light tan horse, "although... I did see a boy who looked perfect for the part. I just doubt he could act."

"You don't know that, man. Why don't you ask him to audition?" Kiba suggested.

Sasuke thought about it while he cleaned the large mammal, "I suppose I could."

xXxXx

Naruto was crouched down behind a bush, moving forward every once and a while to see if his son's "friend" had arrived yet. He had dropped Silo off because he had to run to the bank in Germantown, knowing very well that the boy didn't like long trips. But before he took off, he wanted to see just how close his son was to this... Jack kid.

After a good ten minutes, a white van pulled up, a dark-haired woman climbing out of the side door with her little boy's hand in hers. She smiled to him and led him to the door before kissing him good-bye and walking back to the car, the vehicle taking off once again.

When Jack walked in, Naruto snuck to the side window of the establishment and peeked in, watching with interest as the kid ran to Silo first, a wide smile on his face, "Huh... they must be really good friends..." _this did always say that relationships sprout from friendships._

He snickered when he saw Silo blush, but nod and smile cutely, that reaction causing Jack to laugh.

"Mr. Uzumaki?"

Naruto turned around in a flash, coming face to face with one of the caretakers at the daycare. He smiled nervously, "H-Hello, Emi... I mean, Miss. McDowell! It's a lovely day today, don't you think?"

The woman looked at the blond suspiciously, her dyed red hair glowing under the rays of the sun, "What were you doing?"

"N-Nothing!" he pushed himself up, his baggy jeans hanging low on his hips, his boxers showing, "I'm just... um, I was just about to head out to Germantown, so... yeah! Bye!" he ran off, stumbling over his own feet before slamming into his car, opening the door and leaping in.

He sighed and backed out of the parking lot, turning on the radio as well. He grinned when he heard Lil' Jon(1). He could never resist the urges to copy the rapper, "yeahs" and "oks" slipping off of his tongue as he flashed pretend gang signs to passing truckers.

Merging onto the highway, he reclined his seat slightly, settling down to just mouthing the words of the song, _Hmmm, Silo's too young... but puppy love is so cute... and I just **have** to get them together! God, I can hear him now! 'Can Jack come over, Chichiue?' 'Please let Jack come over, Chichiue!' 'I'm not a pervert, Chichiue, we're only cuddling!' _ "Ah, how lovely youth is."

xXxXx

Naruto sighed as he came back from the bank, parking his small Honda by the front doors of the daycare center. The whole reason he went to the bank was so he could get the child support money from his ex-girlfriend. Even though the girl left him with their child, she still had a heart. And she chose to send them five hundred dollars a month. But it seemed this month there was only two hundred.

He got out of the car and slammed the door, a frown on his face, "I needed that money so I could go Christmas shopping for Silo," he gritted his teeth and angrily kicked a stone that was lying by the mulch, "out of all the fuckin' months... it had to be fuckin' Christmas!" he growled, stepping into the center.

One of the girls, Nikki, looked up from her clay figures, "Silo, your daddy's here!" she called.

Silo stood up from his spot on the floor, dropping the cards he was using to play goldfish with, "Chichiue..." he trailed off when he noticed the angry look on his father's face, but the blond looked up and quickly hid it away, replacing his scowl with a smile.

"Come on, Silo, let's go home and make some curry."

The raven-haired boy smiled slightly and ran to Naruto, looking back and waving to Jack and his other friends. As they walked out, Silo glanced up at the taller male, "Chichiue? Why are you mad? Did I do something wrong?"

Naruto blinked and looked down, "N-no, don't ever think anything's your fault," he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, opening the back car door so Silo could get in, "it's just... nevermind, you don't need to worry about it," he ruffled the boy's hair.

Silo watched his father's expression go from faking a smile, to just letting a frown stay on his handsome face, _Chichiue..._

xXxXx

"Look!" Sakura held up a baby blue coat, her emerald eyes sparkling over the top of it as she showed it to Naruto, the blond shrugging on his Wal-mart vest, "I bought this for Silo! Isn't it cute?"

Naruto smiled, "Thank you so much, Sakura..."

She lowered the clothing item and tilted her had to the side, pink hair tumbling over her shoulders, "What's wrong?"

"Well..." he sighed, "I went to pick up Sunako's money from the bank, but she only sent two hundred this month. Two hundred, Sakura-chan! It's Christmas! She's should've sent more, not less!"

Sakura frowned, "Have you called her? Tried asking her why?"

"I wanted to... but I was with Silo all day yesterday and he..." Naruto sighed again and leaned against the counter of his register, "he doesn't even know I'm still in contact with her. I thought it would be better if he didn't know his mother was still talking to me from time to time... and **still** didn't want to see him again. That would really damage a kid..."

Sakura bit her bottom lip, "I see... so... what are you going to do about Christmas gifts?"

"I don't know, Sakura-chan... I think two hundred's enough for one kid, right? God, but I wanted to get him a Playstation 3 so bad!" he groaned, frustrated, "that's the one thing I definitely know he wants!"

Both workers turned when someone cleared there throat.

"I'd like to purchase something, if you don't mind," Sasuke smirked, having not really heard the conversation beforehand. He placed his items on the conveyer belt as Sakura stepped back.

"Sorry, sir--" Sakura's eyes widened, "y-y-you're..."

Sasuke knew the girl recognized him by the look on her face, "Yes, I know, don't say anything, though."

The pink-haired Subway worker nodded dumbly before setting the blue coat on the closed register behind her, yanking out a notepad and grabbing one of Naruto's pens, "C-can I at least have your autograph... Sasuke-kun?" she blushed and giggled like a crazy fangirl. When Sasuke slowly took the pad, she squeeled.

Naruto raised a brow, "What's your problem?"

"Don't you know who this is?.!" she screeched, hushing down a second later, "this is Uchiha Sasuke, the sexiest man in all of Asia **and** one of the top actors in the world!"

Everything finally clicked in Naruto's head, _His fancy car, his nice clothes, getting into the pet store after closing hours... _he gasped inwardly, "**You** were that guy starring in that movie Sakura-chan bought!"

Sasuke handed the autograph to Sakura and turned to Naruto with a slight smirk, "I trust that you won't tell the entire store? I came here to get away from publicity and attention."

The blond nodded slowly.

"U-Um, I'll just go now," Sakura had hearts floating around her as she hugged the autograph to her chest, "bye, Sasuke-kun," she cooed before skipping away.

Naruto rung up the items, then bagged them, "That'll be $40.96," he waited for the raven to slide his card, then he handed him his receipt, along with his two bags, "so... what's it like being rich?"

Sasuke stared at him for a second, "It's not all that great."

Naruto smiled, "I'd do anything to have tons of money... or at least a fair amount of it. I'm sort of low on cash at a really bad time," he chuckled nervously, "but yeah, I'm sure you don't want to hear my whole life story, so... have a nice day, Sasuke."

The raven cocked an eyebrow, _Kiba told me to ask him... and he just said he didn't have enough money... _

"Oh, and thanks for the slushies the other day! I'll have to pay you back somehow!"

Sasuke was about to say that the blond didn't need to, but someone interrupted him.

"Gaki, can I have a word with you?" Jiraiya asked as he came walking out of the cart section.

"O-Oh, sure," Naruto closed his register and grabbed the baby blue coat Sakura had bought for him before running after Jiraiya.

Sasuke watched the blond leave, then turned on his heel and left through the exit doors, muttering something about the stupid blond probably not being able to act anyway.

xXxXx

"I've been hearing from workers that you're having money problems," Jiraiya stated as he told the blond to sit down in the chair in front of his desk.

Naruto looked down at his folded hands atop of Silo's new coat.

"I can give you a raise if you absolutely need it, Naruto, I'm not a cruel person. You should know that I'd love to help you because you're like a son to me."

The blond smiled, "I know, Ero-sannin... and I suppose I could use a raise, but that wouldn't really be fair. I'm only getting it because you care about me... what if someone else needed it? Like Sai?"

"Even though I dislike that boy with a passion, I would still give him a raise," Jiraiya chuckled, lightening the mood, "as you know, that's just how I am."

Naruto grinned, "Then... can I have a $50 raise?"

Jiraiya chuckled, "Heh, I think Silo's going to have a very nice Christmas this year."

xXxXx

Kakashi made his way into Wal-mart, his lower face once again covered. He nodded his head to the greeter and walked to the frozen food aisles, trying to find a large bag of hashbrowns. When Sasuke had come back home, Kiba had mentioned that the raven forgot them, but the actor had refused to go back, so the brunnet had ordered Kakashi to go instead.

Opening a freezer door, he bent down to grab a bag of hashbrowns. As he went to go check out, some loud voice caught his attention and he glanced around the freezers to see a black-haired boy glaring at a tall man.

"Why don't you drop over at my place tonight? I bet we could have a little fun," the man snickered, eying Sai like he was a slab of meat, "you want my address?"

Sai narrowed his eyes even more, "I don't want anything to do with you. If you don't mind, I'm going back to electronics," he shoved past the taller male, but a rough hand grabbed his wrist, swinging him back around.

"But I **do** mind."

Kakashi raised a brow, _I should do something... but I don't want to draw attention to myself._

"Oi! Sai!" Naruto called, running to him.

Sai forcefully yanked his wrist away, red finger marks apparent on his light skin.

Naruto immediately knew what was going on and he wrapped his arms around Sai's neck, his cheek nuzzling the raven's silky hair. Pressing his body closer to Sai's, he whispered, his voice like honey, "How come you didn't meet me for our lunch break?"

Sai smiled inwardly, knowing what Naruto was doing, "I'm sorry... but I was helping him find something," he glanced up at the man, a smirk in place.

"Oh, well, Lee! Help this guy out, will ya? I wanna go out and spend some time with Sai," he pressed his lips against the base of Sai's neck.

Lee bounced over, "Yosh!" he cheered, "what may I help you with today, sir?" he asked, excited, not paying much attention to his two fellow workers.

The man's scowl deepened, "There's need for you to help me. I think I found it," he glared at all of them before shuffling off.

Lee pouted, "Aw, I was looking forward to helping him... it seems I have not yet been able to share my youthful beauty with our dear customers today," he then blinked his round eyes at the scene of Naruto with his arms wrapped around Sai, "Naruto-kun, have you decided to finally give your lovely youth to Sai-kun?"

Naruto chuckled and pulled away from his friend with a grin, "Nah, I was just helping out a friend."

"Ah, with what?"

"..." the blond sighed, "nothing, nevermind."

"I see, then! Well, I am probably needed in the back storage rooms, so I shall see you all later!" he leaped off, a bounce in his step.

Sai smiled to Naruto, "Thank you, Naruto-san."

"No problem," the blond's grin widened, "anything for a good buddy of mine."

Sai stepped past Naruto, knowing the older teen would follow him so they could go on their break together. He smirked, "But for a straight man, you're a very convincing queer."

Naruto's right eye twitched, "Thanks... I suppose."

Sai laughed softly and both he and Naruto made their way to the entrance doors, ready for a small meal at McDonald's.

By the freezers, Kakashi's eyes turned into upturned 'u's. Pulling his cellphone out, he called Kiba's home phone, delighted to hear Sasuke's voice on the other end.

"I think I found our star."

**(1)- Dear god, I hope I spelled his name right XD**


	4. I Hope I Make It

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Ok, fourth chapter! I want you all to know, unlike most of stories... this one won't have Naruto and Sasuke immediately realizing they love each other. It makes the stories too short and sorta unrealistic. Soooo I plan on having them friends first :grin: I also plan on making this story a lot longer than my others... forty chapters? That's what I'm going for. And :Gasp: other characters have pasts? No way!**

**Once again, this fic is dedicated to Xaayp aka WeelittleBoots! I luff you!**

Silo squeeled happily as he was chased around the apartment by his father, the older man grinning like crazy as he tried to capture his son. It was a typical Saturday morning for them, the day always starting with Naruto being a complete idiot because he was so happy he had a day off from work, and Silo absolutely adoring his playful chichiue. But the small boy knew it had to end sometime, since they both had to leave to go to Naruto's work within the hour. He didn't ask why they were going, but he was sure it was important.

"Chichiue!" Silo squeeked as Naruto finally caught him, both of them toppling over the sofa and onto the floor. His cheeks were flushed and he was panting, but a large smile was on his face as he squirmed away from his dad's grasp.

"You get faster every day," Naruto pushed himself up and grinned, his golden hair sticking out in every direction, "I probably won't be able to catch you at all by the end of this year," standing up, he brushed himself off.

Silo cocked his head to the side, "Maybe you're getting old?"

Naruto kept himself from twitching, "I'm only 20, Silo, that's not old."

"It seems pretty old to me," the smaller of the two got up and smiled cutely, his black hair a mess, just like Naruto's.

The blond grumbled and made his way to the kitchen, wanting to prepare breakfast while his son got ready to go out. Reaching into the fridge, he pulled out four eggs and some butter, his nose scrunched up as he contemplated whether or not he should make oats as well.

"Hey, do you--" when he looked over the top of the fridge, he tightened his lips in a straight line, _He wants something..._

Silo stood there, hands fiddling with the bottom of his sleeping shirt, his teeth gnawing at his bottom lip ever so cutely. He made a huffing noise, his cheeks puffed out and his sparkling blue eyes pleading. Oh yeah, he definitely wanted something, because that was the Uzumaki way of saying "Gimme what I want or I'll cry and never forgive you".

"Don't give me that look, young man," Naruto stared straight at Silo, knowing the little boy hated staring contests, but he was suprised when the child kept himself from blinking for an entire minute. Rolling his eyes and closing the fridge, Naruto leaned against the counter, "Is there something you want?" he asked, smiling slightly.

Silo kept his pathetic look, "Um..." his voice was soft and hesitant. Ah, Naruto remembered his middle school days when he used that same technique to bag him a pretty girl. It always worked too, and among all of the girls, he was known as the "cutest boyfriend" at Onoko Junior High. Ah, yes, cute. But he was more on the handsome and scorchingly hot side now.

"Yes?" Naruto urged his son to continue.

"Well... can we go to the movies tonight, like you promised?" he asked, his cerulean eyes sparkling.

Naruto broke out laughing and continued with his work in the kitchen, "You made the 'Uzumaki puppy face' just so you could ask me that? I already told you we were going, so we're going."

Silo's expression brightened and he jumped up and down, "C-Can we go see a horror movie?" he asked excitedly.

Giving his son a sour look, Naruto spoke, "You're too young for horror movies. Plus, last time I rented one, you wet your bed," he noticed the dark blush on Silo's face and apologized quickly, "sorry for bringing that up. I promise I won't tell Jack once you bring him over for dinner," he snickered and pulled a frying pan out from under the stove, setting it on one of the four burners.

Silo blushed and pouted, "You're mean, Chichiue..."

Naruto turned, not really sure if his son was joking or if he really meant it. He shook his head, not wanting to go through that phase again. He'd already gone through the trauma of thinking his son hated him everytime the small boy would cry and and tell him to leave him alone, or when he wouldn't get exactly what he wanted and would tell Naruto he hated him... But Silo had grown up in the last few years and he was way more mature now, knowing when to take no for an answer.

The dark-haired child huffed and went into the kitchen, tugging on his father's sleeve, "What if he doesn't like me back?"

Naruto sighed, glad his son wasn't really mad, "Then make him like you."

Silo blinked, "Nani?" his voice was squeeky when he said that, making him cuter.

"Uzumaki's never give up on what they want!" he then blinked, "unless it's a toy or something... because material things aren't worth bickering over," he grinned, "but with women... or in your case, men, you can't give up! If he says he doesn't like you that way, don't just give up, keep trying. But if he doesn't fall for you, then you can go for option two: seduction."

Silo once again blinked his large eyes, "Seduction?"

"Actually, you're not old enough for that... Hmm, then you can just cry and tell him how you've loved him for such a long time. Men are suckers when it comes to tears," Naruto stated, "believe me, I've been a victim of such."

"So... I should cry?"

"Nah, just tell him you like him first, then go from there," he grinned, _I'm such a good father!_

But the fact is, a really good father wouldn't give his five-year old son love advice in the first place.

xXxXx

Sasuke sat at Kiba's kitchen table, his fingers tapping against the smooth top as he watched his friend run around in the back yard with Akamaru, the brunnet acting as if he had not a care in the world. But in fact, he did. He needed to deal with Sasuke's hunger issue.

Kakashi looked away from the television when he heard a loud grumble from the raven's stomach. Smiling under his mask, he pushed himself off of the couch, going to Sasuke's side, "Hungry?" he asked, clearly amused.

Sasuke sent him an icy glare.

"It's a shame you don't know how to cook," Kakashi chuckled, "would you like for me to make you something?" he only received another glare as an answer.

The silver-haired man leaned back against the wall seperating the kitchen from the living room, his hand moving behind him to pull his Icha Icha Tactics book from a back pocket. He was about to start reading, but his favorite little raven finally spoke up, stopping him from doing so.

"Kakashi...do you think we should relocate ourselves? This place doesn't seem to have what I'm looking for."

The scarecrow arched a fine brow, "What about the blond?"

"Blond?"

The manager chuckled, "Ah, yes, I forgot to tell you, didn't I? You see, while I was at Wal-mart yesterday, I stumbled upon a fascinating scene. A young man was being hit on by--"

"I don't want to hear your perverted stories," Sasuke growled, not in the mood.

"Gomen," Kakashi looked up in thought, "well, there was this blond boy. He looked to be your age, and I have to say, his acting skills were pretty good."

Sasuke let his gaze fall back on Kiba outside, "Is that so?" he wasn't even really paying attention anymore.

"He had blue eyes, tan skin... and he was quite loud."

The raven suddenly turned, looking up at Kakashi, "Was his name Naruto?"

Kakashi put his orange book away, knowing that he probably wouldn't be reading it anytime soon, "Yes, I believe one of the workers called him that."

Sasuke smirked, "And you're telling me that dobe can act?"

"He was quite a convincing queer," Kakashi smiled under his mask at the actor's expression, "he was helping out his friend who was getting harrassed."

The young teen continued to tap his fingers atop the table.

"I can assure you, he's perfect," Kakashi added.

Sasuke snorted, "Then tell him about the auditions. I think I may have found some possible candidates as well..." he sat forward, "today at three."

Kakashi nodded and grabbed Kiba's car keys from off the kitchen counter, "Tell Kiba I took his car."

"Hn."

xXxXx

Silo tried to keep his balance on the concrete blocks that seperated the sidewalk from a lush flower bed, but he ended up toppling over, luckily against Naruto's chest. The blond laughed and set Silo safely onto the sidewalk next to him.

"Watch what you're doing, spaz," he ruffled his son's hair playfully, "and now you look like a giant marshmellow," he snickered and bent down, fixing Silo's new coat that Sakura got him.

"Chichiue, how come we have to go to your work first?" the little raven pouted, his cheeks puffing out.

"I'm picking up my paycheck. Ero-sannin's giving it to me early, so--" he immediately shut up, remembering that Silo still believed in Santa Claus, "so I can buy you a lot of snacks at the movies," he laughed nervously.

"Really?" Silo looked up at his chichiue in awe.

"Yep!" Naruto heaved the boy into his arms, grinning when Silo laughed in delight, "I'm going to buy you all the fattening stuff you want! Just don't order too much, I doubt Jack'll like a plump boy like you," he laughed once again at the bright blush that adorned his son's face.

Walking up the Wal-mart driveway, Naruto waved to Sakura who was outside sitting on the bench, chatting with a fellow worker. The pink-haired girl immediately tore herself from her conversation and greeted Silo with a bright smile and quick wave.

"Aww, you're wearing the jacket I bought you! You look so adorable!" she cooed.

The worker sitting next to her, Ten Ten, also gave her compliments to Silo, saying how cute he was, and how much he looked like his father. That certain comment made the boy give a brilliant smile.

"I want to be exactly like Chichiue!" he said enthusiastically, still in his father's arms, "so when I grow up, I'm going to bleach my hair blond!"

Naruto coughed, then laughed, "I think you look fine with black hair."

"But I want blond!" Silo argued.

"Fine, fine, whatever, jeez," Naruto rolled his eyes and set Silo on the ground.

Sakura turned her attention to the blond, "Naruto... how come you're here? Isn't it your day off?"

"Ero-sannin's giving me my check early for... 'reasons'," the college student winked to the pink-haired girl and she smiled knowingly.

"I see."

Naruto took Silo's hand and led him inside, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Sakura-chan! Ten Ten!" the girls waved back, then dived back into their previous conversation.

Silo had always enjoyed it when his father brought him to work, but this time he was slightly upset. He wanted to go to the movies **now**, not wait until they were done here. But being the patient little boy he was, he stayed by his chichiue's side as the older male made his way to Jiraiya, the old man hanging out around the nail shop, eyeing the asian women with a lecherous grin on his face.

"Being a pervert, like always," Naruto whispered to his son.

"I heard that, Gaki," Jiraiya snorted, moving away from the shop, "here to collect your check?" he smirked, already knowing the answer, "don't spend it on stupid things that won't be useful in the future."

Silo tilted his head to the side, "Chichiue's buying me lots of snacks," he said, his cheeks rosy from the cold weather outside.

"Snacks? For Chri--" he grumbled when a hand was slapped over his mouth.

"I'm using it to buy snacks at the movies," he quickly said, shutting the old man up.

Jiraiya jerked away and scowled, "Whatever, get going, kid. I have a business to run," he handed Naruto his paycheck, then chuckled, "and women to watch."

"Hentai," Silo muttered, his hand still in his father's.

What Silo called the old man had Naruto reeling in laughter, his blue eyes watering and his hand holding the check moving to his stomach. But Jiraiya didn't find it funny. He just shook his head and went back to watching the Vietnamese women, mumbling something along the lines of "like father, like son".

Silo tugged on Naruto's hand, trying to stop his laughter fits, "Chichiue," he whined, "can we go to the movies now?" he wanted to be patient, he really did, but it seemed like whenever he really wanted to do something with his chichiue, fate stomped on his wishes.

"Right, right, let's go!" the blond turned and yelped when he ran into someone, causing him to stumble back, "a-ah, sorry," he looked up and saw a man with silver hair and a mask over his nose and mouth, the cloth crinkled slightly, showing that the man was smiling.

"Your name is Naruto-kun, correct?"

Frowning slightly, Naruto nodded.

"Ah, good," he glanced down at Silo and gave the tiny boy a wave. He blinked his black eyes as the raven huffed and looked away from him, clearly angry. Focusing his attention back on the blond, he chuckled, "You may be familiar with an Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Oh, Teme?" he grinned.

"Yes, I'm his manager. As you might already know, he's an actor," Kakashi watched Naruto nod and he continued, "well, he's having auditions this afternoon at a friend's house and he was wondering if you could attend."

Silo could feel his eyes water, _I want to go now..._

"Auditions?"

Naruto listened to the scarecrow as he talked about a movie Sasuke wrote a script for. The raven was going to be in the film, but he needed someone to be the main character. Kakashi explained that Sasuke didn't want just some big actor, he wanted someone new. The man didn't go into details of what the movie was about, but it was some kind of tragic romance story.

"What do you say? Just come by and give it a try. I saw some of your acting skills and I think you'll be perfect for the part," Kakashi stated.

The blond gave him a confused look, "What do you mean...?"

"I saw the incident yesterday with that man harrassing your friend," Kakashi watched Naruto make an 'o' with his mouth.

"Well, I..." _acting pays good money, doesn't it? I'd be able to give Silo the life he deserves if I make the cut..._ biting his lip, he said, "what's the address to the house?"

Kakashi smiled underneath his mask and pulled a slip of paper out of his back pocket, slipping it into the blond's hand, "be there at three," he then walked past Naruto, giving Silo a gentle pat on the head.

Silo looked up at his dad, "Chichiue?"

"Silo... can we go to the movies tonight? You said you liked seeing movies during the night, didn't you?"

Pouting, the raven nodded slowly, "But..."

"I want to go to these auditions. Believe me, if I can make it, then you'll have a much better life. All the toys you want, a big home... anything you want," Naruto picked up his little boy and hugged him, "we won't have to live in a cramped apartment anymore and we can eat more than just ramen for lunch and dinner..."

Silo smiled slightly at that thought, "Can I... can I have a pool full of pudding?"

Naruto laughed, "Like I said, anything you want."

"Then I guess we could go tonight..."

_It's a miracle that something like this would happen to me... so I'm going to take full advantage of it and make our lives better._

xXxXx

Sasuke glared at Kiba who finally decided to grace the raven with his presence. He was sopping wet, as well as Akamaru, and the dog shook off, lake water going everywhere. The white animal let out a resounding "arf" and trotted up the stairs.

"Kiba," Sasuke tried to keep his anger down, but he was too hungry to do so.

"Yeah?" Kiba turned and grinned, his shaggy brown hair framing his face, water dripping onto the wooden floor.

"When are you going to make breakfast?"

The brunnet blinked, "Oh, yeah... you can't cook worth shit, can you? Well, I guess I could make it now, but I have to take a shower first. I'll be down in fifteen," then he ran upstairs, the old wooden stairs creaking.

Sasuke sighed, then silently watched the front door open, Kakashi stepping in. The man seemed to be radiating a happy vibe, _Che, he probably groped a bunch of women._

"He's coming at three," was all Kakashi said before taking a seat next to Sasuke at the table.

"Did he refuse at first?"

"No, he seemed to really want to do it," Kakashi stated.

Sasuke smirked and leaned back, "Probably because of the money. I've been guessing that he has money problems... and what with having a child at such a young age..."

"Does he have a girlfriend?"

"I doubt it. He never mentioned her, it's always his son he talks about."

"Ah, a single parent. Yes, that can be rough," Kakashi rubbed his chin, "then this would be the perfect opportunity for him, wouldn't it? Now I want him to make it," he chuckled, "as you know, I know what it's like to be a single parent."

Sasuke let his smirk slip off of his face.

"But let's not bring that up," the silver-haired manager smiled under his mask, "I think we should set up the equipment for the auditions. We'll have to send a tape of each person into the agency," getting up, he walked to the hall closet. As he opened it, he began pulling out a camera stand and a few different stage type of lights.

Sasuke let the topic slip from his mind as he got up out of his chair.

xXxXx

His stomach rumbled and he pouted as he held his father's hand, the both of them walking back to their apartment complex. They would've taken the car, but they were low on gas and Naruto refused to use Silo's Christmas money on expensive gasoline. Besides, walking is really good exercise.

"We'll stay long enough to eat, then we'll head out the auditions, ok?" Naruto grinned, "and I promise we'll go see whatever movie you want tonight. Except scary movies."

"Hai," Silo mumbled, his belly continuing to growl, "ano... I'm really hungry, Chichiue..."

The blond looked down at his son, noting the miserable expression he was wearing, _Using twenty bucks won't hurt anything, _he led them off the sidewalk, up through the driveway of Superfresh, "Why don't you run in and pick a few things? We'll sit out by the bank and eat," he grinned.

Silo nodded happily and ran in as fast as he could, bumping into a few customers. Naruto shook his head and smiled, taking his sweet time to go in, "Man, blackberry pomegranate tea sounds good right about now," he unconsciously licked his lips, "and some turkey sandwhiches," he started down the aisle that led to the back where they had the refridgerated items, chuckling as Silo zoomed by him, carry a few snack items.

"Not too much or I won't have enough money for snacks at the movies!"

The crow immediately stopped in his tracks, shoving three bags of cookies onto a random shelf, "Can I have Gatorade, Chichiue?"

"Sure, why not? You need it after walking so much with me this morning," he stopped by the frozen section and pulled out a plastic pack of turkey and swiss chess sandwhiches, "mmmm," he groaned, wanting nothing more than to bite into the deliciously artificial food.

"I'm done!" Silo chirped and ran to his dad's side, jumping up and down with a lunchable, a glacier freeze gatorade, and two bags of dill pickle chips. He smiled cutely, "are you?"

"I will be as soon as I--" he blinked when his son held up a glass bottle of blackberry pomegranate tea.

"You always buy it when we come here," his smile became wider.

"Awww, what a sweet child I've raised!" he ruffled Silo's hair, "now let's go pay and chow down."

"Yosh!" Silo cheered, attracting some of the other shoppers.

xXxXx

"My tummy hurts!" the crow whined.

Naruto tossed the remnants of his sandwhiches (which was basically just the crust) away and brushed the crumbs off of his hands, his left cheek puffed out due to a hunk of remaining turkey in his mouth, "I told you not to eat so fast, Musuko(1)."

Silo rubbed his stomach and kept a steady pace next to his chichiue on the sidewalk, "Maa, are we going to that house now?"

"House? Oh! The auditions? Yeah," he folded his arms behind his head, "if I want to make it on time, might as well get walking now."

"Mmhn," Silo agreed with a quick bob of his head. He pulled up his coat sleeve and looked at his Hamtaro watch, his dark eyes blinking, "ano, Chichiue, it's 2:00... the auditions are at 3:00, ne?"

"A-ah! It's that late already?.!" he hoisted Silo up over his shoulder and began running down the sidewalk, "I'm going to be late!"

"Ch-chichiue!" Silo whined, his cheeks a dusty pink, "put me down!"

"Your stubby legs aren't going to get you anywhere, so you're staying on my shoulder!"

"Chichiue!.!"

**(1)- It means "son".**

**Awwww I adore Silo to bits! Please review!**

**Next Chapter: The auditions, Sasuke treats Naruto and Silo to lunch, Naruto's phonecall to his ex-girlfriend aka Silo's mother.**


	5. Making Friends Through Applebees

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Punt.**

**Yay, chapter five! Thank you all for the lovely reviews! Now, will Naruto make it past the first auditions?**

**This story is dedicated to Xaayp aka Weelittleboots. I luff you!**

**Also, I forgot to mention, because I'm a horrible person, that the summary for this story was created by Muffinkitty! Sorry for not mentioning you earlier!**

Silo had given up squirming ages ago, his body now limp over his dad's shoulder, his face holding an expression of boredom. He shifted a bit, so Naruto's shoulder wasn't digging into his liver, then went slack again, just hoping that they arrived for the auditions soon. As they got further from the stores and shops, the small boy started to wonder if his father was lost.

"Chichiue, how come we're out by the farms?"

Naruto continued to run along the road, a few cars passing him by every few minutes. They were now out in the country (which happened to be right outside the little city they called Frederick), cows behind fences, mooing at them as they went by. There were even some goats eating in the back yard of a large home, their golden eyes watching them while they chewed on grass.

"He gave me directions and they say to go here. You want to read them yourself?" Naruto grinned.

The little crow pouted, not able to see the blond's grin, but hearing it in the man's voice, "No," he huffed. After another good ten minutes of running and cursing (on Naruto's half), they reached a white farm house, the sound of a dog barking and chickens clucking coming from behind the interesting home.

"Is this the right place...?" Naruto frowned at the directions, then looked at the numbers beside the front door, "the numbers match..."

"Ah, you're here," Kakashi came around from the back of the house, brown gloves on, "Sasuke's inside, so you can go ahead in. There are a few others waiting for their turn, so you can get something to eat if you're hungry," he smiled beneath his mask, "there's sandwhiches on the counter."

"Thanks..." Naruto trailed off, letting Silo down. The boy stretched a bit, happy to be on solid ground for the first time in half an hour. They both watched as Kakashi retreated back to the yard behind the home, then they walked up the wooden steps of the porch.

Silo ran to the door and opened it for his chichiue, smiling cutely. He was given a loving pat on the head and he followed Naruto inside, his dark eyes blinking as he saw six people chatting in the kitchen, most of them blonds.

They all turned and looked Naruto up and down, some of them smirking, while the others said nothing and just continued their conversations. The curious gazes that had suddenly turned into rude glares were brushed off by Naruto. He was used to not being liked... but to be shoved away so quickly? Jeez.

"Chichiue," Silo whispered, tugging on his father's shirt, "when are you having your audition?"

"After these guys," he took his son's hand and they both walked past the group, Naruto giving them an icy glare. It was scary enough to make some of the other men tense and turn away. To them, the only person who could give such a look was Uchiha Sasuke. For the blond to have a glare that equaled the actor's... that was saying something.

Naruto immediately plastered a smile back on his face and let his eyes roam over the room. There were other people sitting on the couch, even some leaning against the sliding glass doors. And sitting at the table were three other men. He sighed and took one of the empty seats, telling Silo to sit on his lap.

The crow looked at all of the people and pouted, not liking small, crowded places very well.

"Yo!" Kiba came down the stairs, Akamaru by his side. He raised his hand in greeting and grinned, "Sasuke-bastard'll be down in a minute... so get in line, fuckers!" most of the guests scrunched their noses up in disapproval of the language, but Naruto only gave the brunette a grin of his own.

Rushing behind a few men who began to line up, Naruto took his place and counted. He was the fifth in line.

"What acting school do you go to?" a man behind him asked, his voice holding a slight Italian accent. He had dirty blond hair and grey eyes, their color a cloudy blue when he stood in the sunlight streaming through the blinds of the windows.

Naruto blinked, "Acting school? No, I'm part of a normal college," he frowned when the other male scoffed. Next to him, Silo jutted out his bottom lip in an angry pout.

"Then you shouldn't even be here. This is Uchiha Sasuke's movie, and only the best actor here can get the part. I doubt an un-schooled person, such as yourself, will make it," he smirked, "everyone in this room has experience. What chance do you think you have?"

Silo furrowed his brows and punched the man in the crotch, watching in satisfaction as the guy fell to the ground in a whimpering heap, "Chichiue's going to make it!" he huffed.

Kiba walked up to them, laughing his ass off.

"Nice kid," he commented with an amused snort, "he yours?"

"Yep. Cute, isn't he?" Naruto grinned.

"Che, yeah. Sorta reminds me of Sasuke."

"It's Uchiha-kun!" one of the younger males cooed, excited to the famous actor.

Sasuke came downstairs, his hair perfect, an Armani suit snug on his lithe body. He eyed the guests and took a seat on the couch, his legs crossing on instinct. Setting his hands on his knees and lacing his fingers together, he spoke, "I'm starving, so let's get this over with."

No one in the room seemed to hear the annoyed tone in the raven's voice, but Naruto sure did, _Same old teme, _he snickered.

"Good luck with your auditions, Queers!" Kiba laughed loudy as he and Akamaru went outside to tend to the farm with Kakashi. The brunette was definitely in a good mood, he usually didn't curse or say rude things that much.

Sasuke held back a smirk, "There will be three different auditions. One for drama, one that deals with reactions to certain situations, and one for sex."

Everyone in the room kept quiet, then Silo spoke, "Are you going to have sex with my Chichiue?" the guests laughed, even Naruto. But his laugh was tilted more towards the nervous side.

"God, I hope not," he received glares from most of the fresh actors, "n-no offense... but I'm into girls. And even though the teme's sort of pretty--"

Sasuke cut him off with a glare, "Uzumaki, why don't you come up here first?"

Naruto blinked, "Excuse me?"

"Get up here, Dobe," Sasuke growled.

Frowning, Naruto moved out of line and walked to the center of the living room where all the lights were set up, and a camera was placed. He saw Silo looking up at all of the men, seemingly out of place. Sasuke followed the blond's gaze and saw the crow.

"Dobe's son," he called.

Silo looked over to him and pouted, "My name's Silo..." he muttered.

"Yes, Silo, come sit next to me, so you can watch your father's preformance," he patted the spot beside him with a small smile. In truth, Sasuke loved children. He hated people, but he adored kids. He never shared that fact with others though, not wanting to ruin the image he held in the movie world.

Silo smiled brightly and ran past everyone in line, leaping onto the soft sofa, wiggling to make himself comfortable, "Good luck, Chichiue!"

Naruto raised a brow at the suddenly nice asshole he called "Teme".

"Now, moan for us, Dobe," the actor smirked.

The blond's face turned a brilliant shade of red and he bit his lip to keep himself from screaming. His right eye twitched, "Wh-what did you just say?"

"Moan. I want to see if you'll draw people in during the sex scene in my film."

Swallowing, Naruto crossed his arms and turned away, still blushing. His moans were secluded to just the bedroom... and occassionally the shower... or alleyway. Coughing, he gazed down at the wooden floor, _I can do this... just think about good sex, _he tapped his foot in annoyance and sighed.

"Fine," he mumbled and licked his lips. Taking a slow breath, he relaxed himself... then let out a gutteral moan that echoed throughout the silent room. It was a deep and animalistic noise that sounded both sexy and dangerous. It was orgasmic.

He sniffled as the room remained quiet, "I'm done," he stated, the blush disappearing a bit.

A lot of the other men started whispering to each other, while Sasuke glued his eyes to Naruto's.

Silo looked back and forth between them, "Are auditions over? Can we go see a movie now?" he asked his dad.

Naruto laughed, broken from his nervous trance, "Nah, I still got quite a bit to do."

Sasuke leaned further back against the couch. He was amazed that such a sexual sound could come from someone so... idiotic and childish. Heck, when he first met the blond, he wondered what woman in her right mind would want to have sex with such a guy. His aura practically screamed "I'm a dobe", and to Sasuke, he wasn't all that attractive. He was a blond like almost every other American guy and he had the typical body build; thin with apparent muscles. Really, the only thing that stood out were his bright blue eyes and loud voice. He could understand why women would be attracted to the lovely eyes, but the loud voice would drive them away(1). What kind of woman was Silo's mother?

_A deaf woman, _he snorted, _no one with perfect hearing would be able to stand him for long._

xXxXx

The auditions kept strong for the next three hours, man after man showing Sasuke their acting skills. Kakashi and Kiba had come back in a little bit ago and were now watching the last performance with interest. Especially, when the moaning part came in.

"Is everyone finished?" Kaskashi asked, turning the camera off.

"Yes, I'll review the tape later," he stood up and bowed to all the men, "I thank you for auditioning. I'll call all of you within the week to tell you my decision on who will play the main role in my movie."

"It's the main role?.!" Naruto screeched, "I-I thought it was just some minor part or--or--"

Sasuke smirked as the guests began to exit, all of them talking about how they were definitely going to make it. He leaned against the oak table, "No, it's the main role. And I have to say, you did fairly good."

Naruto suddenly grinned brightly, "Of course I did, dattebayo!" he laughed and bent down as Silo continuously tugged on his shirt. Picking the boy up, he smiled, "you know... I want to thank you and your manager for giving me this chance. If I do make it, I'll be able to give Silo the life he deserves," he lifted the crow up so he was sitting on his shoulders, his legs over each blade, small hands resting atop a tuff of blond hair.

Kakashi, in the background, smiled under his mask.

"So thanks," he bowed, proving to Sasuke his traditional Japanese heritage.

"If Chichiue makes it, I get a big pool of pudding!" Silo giggled and smiled widely.

Sasuke found himself smiling. Having a child at such a young age was a joy, as much as it was a burden.

"Actually," he spoke up, "why don't you two join me for dinner?"

Naruto sputtered, "D-Dinner?"

"Unless you don't want to?"

"Hell no! I'll accept free food from anyone!" he wiggled Silo around on his shoulders, "sound good, Musuko?"

Silo nodded slowly, "But..."

"The movies are tonight, remember?"

The crow looked at Sasuke, then to his chichiue and he smiled, "Ok."

xXxXx

The restuarant they went to was Applebee's (courtesy of Naruto). Sasuke had refused against it at first since he didn't want to be noticed, but then Naruto gave him a coat from out of his trunk, along with a Pittsburg Steelers hat and a pair of gangsta glasses made by one of his friends Fudgems(2).

"Let's pimp you up!" Naruto shouted while they were still in the parking lot. He placed the cap on the raven's head and then roughly slid the jacket over his shoulders, pulling the collar up high. After cleaning off the dark glasses, he placed them over Sasuke's eyes and grinned.

Sasuke felt stupid in the attire, but said nothing. Instead, he settled with just burning through the back of Naruto's head with a heated glare as they made their way inside, Silo holding his chichiue's hand.

"Table for three," Sasuke told the waitress as they entered.

"Che, no way, Teme," Naruto retorted, then turned to the waitress, "give us some stools by the bar."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "You let your child be in that kind of environment?"

Naruto laughed, "What environment? It's a restuarant, not a bar. Besides, he likes to watch the football games they show on the T.V.'s."

The raven watched Silo zoom by, the little boy already climbing onto a spinning stool. Naruto took the menus from the blinking waitress, giving her a sultry smile.

"Sorry, we'll seat ourselves," he purred, then winked. The young red-headed woman held down a blush and nodded dumbly.

Sasuke held back the urge to roll his eyes and took a seat at the bar next to Silo, Naruto on the other side of the child. The little crow wiggled around in his seat as he watched a progressing football game on one of the televisions.

"Do you hit on every woman you see?" Sasuke asked as Naruto passed him a menu.

"Hah, basically," Naruto tapped his pointer finger against his bottom lip, "not because I'm a player or anything," he snickered, "I'm just sick of being lonely. It's nice to have someone to hang with every once and a while, you know?"

Sasuke frowned, "Don't you have male friends to do that with?"

Naruto grinned, "My good buddy, Sai! But you see, I can't have sex with him," he laughed. Sasuke let out a small chuckle himself.

Sasuke closed his menu, having decided what to order, "You really are a dobe. It makes me wonder why I even like you," a man at the bar walked to them and asked them what they'd like to drink. Naruto and Silo both replied "Dr.Pepper", while Sasuke muttered a quiet "water".

After the worker left to get their beverages, Naruto leaned forward, catching Sasuke's eye. Silo was too busy watching the football game to pay any attention to him.

"You like me, huh?" he flashed the actor another toothy grin. He wiggled his eyebrows.

Sasuke gave another deep frown, "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know, I know," Naruto waved his han dismissingly.

A few moments later, the worker came back with their drinks and set them down, "Enjoy," he said with a raspy voice as he went to wait on other arriving people. Naruto took a large gulp of his beverage and nudged his son, reminding him that he had a drink as well.

Silo took a slow sip of his drink, his dark eyes still stuck to the television.

"Is he always like this?" Sasuke raised a brow.

"Hah, when there's something interesting on he won't listen to a thing you say," Naruto laughed, "but don't worry, food'll snap him back to reality. Yep, just like his dad!"

Sasuke chuckled. Earlier, he had suprised even himself when he'd asked the blond and his son to go to dinner with him. He had gone the entire day without eating, and back in Japan he was so used to going out to dinner with his brother, that he asked Naruto on instinct. Even now, he was still a bit suprised. Not about inviting the male, but about how much he was enjoying himself. The blond was annoying, but in a good way.

_I'm starting to question my own sanity_, Sasuke sighed and took a sip of his ice water.

"You know..."

Sasuke turned to look at Naruto as he started to speak.

"... even though you're a bastard, I like you, too."

Sasuke remained quiet, then rolled his eyes. He couldn't help it.

"Dobe." 

"Teme!" Naruto growled back, in playful tone.

"Food!" Silo whined, the game finally going onto commercial break.

xXxXx

The evening had gone by quickly, but every second was enjoyed by both men. They had fought like kids, even thrown a few punches, but in the end... in the end, they had a blast. Silo was confused by their behavior, but shrugged it off. He was more concerned about going to the movies.

Sasuke straightened his baggy jacket as they stepped outside into the cold breeze. He had fun, that was for sure. Since he'd become an actor, he never had the time to enjoy himself like he used to in his teenage years. But now it was like he was young again. He was out talking with a "friend" and having fun.

"Hmmm, that stick must not be too far up your ass..." Naruto commented airily as they approached the car they'd "borrowed" from Kiba.

Sasuke glared at him, but it didn't hold the anger it did at the beginning of the evening. He'd become fairly comfortable around Naruto, as if they were the best of friends. They weren't though, Sasuke'd told himself. The type of job he had didn't allow him to have best friends, not even regular friends. Kiba was an exception though, because no matter what, he did everything he could to stay in contact with Sasuke. He was like the plague.

Naruto snickered at the raven's look, but blinked when his phone began vibrating in his back pocket. Pulling it out and flipping it out, he put it to his ear, "Yo! Uzumaki Naruto here!"

Sasuke opened the back door and let Silo climb in, then helped him with his seatbelt. Closing the door, he walked around to the driver's side, but he looked up when he noticed Naruto's long silence.

"Naruto?" he asked.

"..." the blond frowned as he listened to someone talk on the other end, "you know, I was meaning to call you," he stated calmly, but his voice held anger.

Sasuke got into the car and began to close the door, but he left it open a crack, enough so he could hear Naruto's conversation.

"Why did you only send $200 this month?" he growled, "it's December, Sunako! Christmas's coming up soon!..." he listened for a long moment again, then clenched his fists, his teeth gritting, "he's your fuckin' son!.!" he practically screamed.

Sasuke turned in his seat, watching as Silo stared out the window, as if he wasn't listening. But the raven knew better. Children always listened, **always**.

"What was your reason, huh?" Naruto hissed, "a visit to the hair salon in Vegas?.!" he glared at the ground, then his eyes widened, "what do you mean you're not going to send any more money?.! That cash is what we survive on--" his face became red in anger, then he just started yelling in Japanese, the people in the parking lot turning to look at him strangely.

Sasuke turned on the car, hoping the engine would drown out the yelling. He knew how arguments could scar kids, and he didn't want Silo to turn out like one of those kids, "Don't blame yourself," was all he said to the small crow.

Silo glanced up at Sasuke, his dark eyes reflecting the sun outside, "But I was an accident..." he whispered, "Okaasan said I wasn't supposed to be born and she left... she said she didn't want me and left, making Chichiue sad," he fiddled with the seatbelt over his lap, "do you think... that if I disappeared... Okaasan would come back to Chichiue? So he'll be happy again?"

It was amazing what children thought.

Before Sasuke could say anything, Naruto climbed into the passenger side of the car and slammed the door shut. He was grinning, but it was obviously fake, "Ok! Drive us to the movies, Teme!" he ordered.

The raven scowled.

xXxXx

Silo smiled as his father lifted him onto his shoulders once they climbed out of Sasuke's aka Kiba's car.

"I want to see Eragon, Chichiue!" he chirped. The car ride was pretty long because of the constant red lights, so the anger in Naruto had almost completely disappeared and Silo wasn't really that sad anymore, which was good to see.

"Cool, dragons," Naruto bent down and smiled as he peered through the rolled down car window, "thanks for the ride, Teme. You'll be stopping by Wal-mart some time, right?"

"Hn, of course. I'm Kiba's errand boy, after all."

The blond laughed and stood back up straight, steadying his son on his shoulders, "Well, I'll see you then! Sayonara!" then he ran off, going in crooked zig zags for Silo's amusement.

Sasuke rolled the window back up and drove off...

But he couldn't help but be a bit worried for the two.

**(1)- Sasuke says he's not attractive... but damn, Naruto's fine as hell! Damn straight! XD**

**(2)- Fudgems is actually one of my good gangsta friends! He's the shit!**

**Next chapter: Naruto makes Sasuke help him with his "plan" to get Silo and Jack together, more delicious Sai, and shopping for Christmas gifts!**

**Please review!**


	6. Jolly Good Times

**Disclaimer: If I owned it, there'd be sex.**

**As some of you might already know, I'm going on a trip to Florida on Friday, so there won't be any updates for a week... but I am determined to get at least one or two more chaps of this story and When Sounds Become Visual up before I leave. Then I'll work a lot once I get down there... or when I'm at the hotel room :Grin:**

**Sorry, not that much Silo in here... but a lot of Sasuke and Naruto-ness!**

**Chapter 6- Jolly Good Times**

"And the dragon blew fire all over the evil guys and Eragon's side won!" Silo chirped as he and Naruto entered the daycare center. He dropped his school bag off by the coat cubbies and leaped onto Naruto, giving him a hug.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I was there," he snickered, hugging back. As Silo pulled back, he ruffled the boy's hair, "hey, you're sure you don't want me to take your school bag home?"

The crow nodded his head, "I made something for Jack..." he blushed cutely.

Naruto cooed, "How adorable of you!" he then looked around the room, spotting the brown-haired boy from days before. His soft hazel eyes glanced over to where they were and he spotted Silo, a smile crawling onto his face.

"Silo! Come help me build this train track!" Jack called.

Pushing down his blush, Silo smiled back and ran off, "Bye Chichiue!"

Naruto grunted a "bye" before turning on his heel and stepping out, the cool breeze outside making his golden locks flutter back and forth. Getting into his car, he eyed his cellphone sitting on the passenger's seat.

_One missed call?_

Picking it up, he flipped it open, snorting a bit at who it was who called. Punching the numbers in, he put the cellphone to his ear. After three or four rings, someone answered.

"Yo, Teme! You called?"

_"Hn, why didn't you pick up?"_

Naruto grinned, "Were you worried?"

_"Hn."_

"Well, if you must know. I was taking Silo into his daycare... Oh! Which reminds me! I need your help with something!"

_Sasuke sighed on the other line, as if regretting his choice to become the blond's friend, "Go on."_

"Silo likes this one boy at the center, right? I need you to help me get them together!"

There was a silence on the other end, followed by:

_"Your son's gay?"_

Naruto glared out the window, "Is there something wrong with that?"

Sasuke scoffed, _"Not at all. I just find it strange that he's so sure about his sexual preference at such a young age."_

The blond grinned, "I think Sai converted him. When I'm out after daycare hours, Silo stays with him... and don't tell anyone, but I think he let Silo watch him have sex with one of his boyfriends," he nodded to himself, "that would've converted me. Sai's hot," he laughed.

Sasuke chuckled, _"Are you sure **you're** not the gay one?"_

"Nope, I'm just an open-minded person. Uzumaki Naruto is a ladies man," he grinned, "soooo, gonna help me or not?"

_"I have nothing better to do. Helping your son with his issues sounds better than milking cows."_

Naruto snorted into the phone, "Hah, the great Uchiha Sasuke milks cows?"

_"You'll tell no one."_

The blond grinned like an idiot and started his car up, flipping on the air. He had only gotten to really know Sasuke yesterday, and already he considered the raven a good friend. Even though he was an ass at times, the actor was really fun to hang around with.

And Silo liked him.

Finding a friend that Silo really liked was a hard task, too.

"Don't worry, I won't," he ran a hand through his hair, "but whatever, why'd you call earlier?"

_"To talk to you about last night."_

"What about it?" he pulled out of the parking lot and slowed his car down at the stop sign. Looking both ways, he turned right and drove past the old gas station that was across the street.

_"Do you always get into arguments with Silo's mother when's he's around?"_

Naruto's right hand tightened around the steering wheel, his gleaming blue eyes staring ahead at the road while he kept the small cellphone against his ear, "No... that was the first time, actually," he sighed and made another right down a road that passed an elementary school, "it's been rough... just two months ago, things seemed to be peachy. I was making enough money to support us and at the end of the month, Sunako's child support money would come in..." he trailed off and stopped behind a few cars at the red light.

_"Continue," _Sasuke said.

"Then the rent for our apartment suddenly went up. The old bitch that owns the place said that it was for a good reason, but she never told me," he growled, "so I had to give up an extra hundred bucks for that, leaving less money for food and toys for Silo. It's not fair to not give your kid toys, right? So I bought him a really nice one every two weeks, and ended up constantly asking my friends to make me some food or something," he laughed dryly, "and you know who always made food for us? Sai. God fuckin' Sai," he smiled against the phone, "sometimes I think that he should be Silo's dad, not me. He's much better at the job than I am," he shook his head and started driving once the light turned green, "but whatever, I'm going off topic. Anyway... last night, Sunako called and told me that she wasn't sending the child support money anymore."

Sasuke 'hn'ed on the other end, _"Why the hell not?"_

"She never wanted to support us in the first place... she only did it because she had to," he turned left and went into the Pet Supermarket's parking lot, "but last night, when she called and told me she wasn't going to send us the cash anymore... I knew there wasn't anything I could do about it."

_"It's against the law to not pay child support, Dobe."_

"I know, but... back when she left us, her dad was trying to become some kind of government official. I'm guessing... he finally got the job now," his smile was dim as he parked his car, "meaning he found some way to get around the system and now Sunako doesn't have to support us any longer," he got out of his car and slammed the door shut, locking it. Crossing the street, he stepped into the store, immediately gowing to get some more pellets for their pet rabbit, Kohi.

The raven kept quiet while Naruto muttered to himself, mumbling about which brand Kohi liked.

"That man never did like me. He would tolerate me when Sunako brought me to her house, but once she became pregnant, the damn broke," he chuckled, "he said that I probably got a bunch of girls pregnant before his daughter. Pft, yeah right, I may bang a bunch of chicks, but I wear protection," he snorted, erasing the tense mood of their conversation.

Sasuke chuckled as well.

"But yeah, let's drop the subject," he lifted a large bag of pellets, "how about we talk about the auditions? he grinned.

_"I haven't gotten around to watching the tapes yet. I've been working out in the barn with Kiba."_

"That's gotta suck. A pretty guy like you must hate getting mud and dirt under your nails," the blond snickered when there were a few seconds of complete silence on the other end, "aw, come on, it was only a joke. You're such a serious guy, Sasuke. Loosen up!"

_"I **am **loose," _the actor growled.

Naruto grinned.

_"I didn't mean it that way, you pervert," _Sasuke found himself laughing a bit. It was funny, he'd been doing a lot of that lately.

"Sure," he tossed the pellets onto the counter in front of an open register, the young boy ringing it up.

"That'll be $5.96, sir," the lanky teen said.

Digging in his pockets, Naruto came up with the money and handed it to the boy, "Keep the change and the receipt," he grabbed the bag and walked out of the store, "Oi, Teme, do you think you could come out Christmas shopping with me tonight? I know it's sudden. I was supposed to go with Sai, but Sakura-chan stole him from me," he pouted, causing him to resemble and over grown child.

_"As long as it gets me out of the house."_

"Yosh! We're going to head out at seven!"

_"I'll be ready in ten minutes," _Sasuke then hung up.

Naruto pulled the phone from his ear and stared at it before frowning.

"Don't just hang up on me, Teme!"

xXxXx

Kakashi watched (from the table) Sasuke close his cellphone and shove it into his pocket. The raven then proceded to exit the kitchen and head towards the stairs, the wooden floor creaking under his heavy steps.

"You're going out with Naruto-kun?" he had his mask off again, the annoying cloth laying in front of him on the table, "you two've really hit it off," he commented.

"I suppose," was all Sasuke said before he went upstairs to change. Overalls and dirty boots were not something he wanted to be seen in when out in public.

Going into the guest room he was staying in, he opened the closet and began searching. He didn't know why he so eagerly wanted to go out shopping with the blond, but he believed it had something to do with him not having many friends who would actually want to do such a thing with him. He used to have a lot of friends, but then his brother got him into the field of acting... and he lost them all. Being an actor had been simple at first, but then he became popular and pounds and pounds of pressure had been dropped onto his shoulders. Everyone went to see his movies, expecting him to be the best, expecting him to be as gorgeous and glamorous as they had always seen him... and that pressure had turned him ugly. It made him angry, made him snap at everyone, made him show a side of him that even his brother had never seen. That's how he lost all of his friends.

But before it got too bad, he took a break. Snuck away from Japan, with Kakashi, and hid away in America. He was sick of the pressure, sick of everyones' high expectations of him, sick of how his brother would tell him that that was just something he'd have to deal with. It was that bastard's fault everything was turning out that way. He was the one who got Sasuke the career.

_I was sick of how everyone viewed me. Like I'm just so perfect..._

He picked an outfit and pulled it off the hanger, tossing it over his shoulder. He closed the closet door and stepped back, throwing a quick glance over to the audition tapes that were sitting on his bedside table.

_That's why I'm making this movie..._

_To show people I'm not perfect..._

xXxXx

Naruto honked his horn when he arrived at Kiba's home. He saw the brunette in the back, feeding the chickens, Akamaru at his side. Tearing his gaze away from them, he watched as Sasuke came out of the house, his attire consisting of snug-fitting black jeans and an expensive looking white jacket. As the raven climbed into the car, Naruto grinned.

"You ready to shop, girlfriend?" he asked with a preppy accent.

Sasuke put his seatbelt on and crossed his legs, a smirk in place, "You're such a dobe."

Naruto scowled, "You know, if I wanted to, I could tell the entire female population in Frederick, Maryland that you're here," he smirked a very Sasuke-ish smirk, "and you'll get mobbed... and probably ridded of your precious clothes. Hell, you might even get raped... if women can do that."

Sasuke glared at him and crossed his arms, "Just drive."

Laughing like an idiot, Naruto drove back onto the road and made his merry and joyful way to the mall, humming a small tune that Sasuke couldn't recognize.

"Oi, do you like anime?" Naruto asked, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Not really."

"Seriously?.! But--but you're, like, Japanese!"

The actor raised a brow, "So? You are, too."

"Exactly!"

Sasuke was confused, "What?" he sighed, "forget it. How about you tell me what you're buying Silo?"

"Ooooh," Naruto gave him a wide grin, reminding him of a tanuki(1), "I plan on buying him a Playstation 3! And a few games for it, of course."

"You have the money?"

"Yep! I've been saving up for the past few months! I wanted to make sure Silo got exactly what he wanted for Christmas," he smiled as he drove beneath the underpass, turning on his blinker and going into the turning lane, "the last few years he got small things... but this year is going to be awesome!"

Sasuke kept down the urge to roll his eyes.

xXxXx

"What do you mean you don't have any more?.!" Naruto hissed at the man behind the counter in Gamestop. He seriously looked pissed.

"Listen, kid," the forty-year old man began, "the system just came out, everyone wants one. Every time we get a new stock in, they're sold out within hours. If you really wanted one, you should've been here earlier this morning."

Naruto leaned forward and gave him a look that would put the Uchiha glare to shame, "Listen, my son wants a Playstation 3, and he's going to get one, understand?" he made a move to leap over the counter, "even if it means I have to tear your balls off, old man!" he was yanked back by Sasuke, the raven frowning.

"If you're going to be like this when we go out shopping, I don't think we should be friends anymore."

The blond laughed a bit, blowing the golden bangs out of his eyes. He let himself be pulled away, but he didn't let up his glare, "I'll be back and there better be a Playstation 3 waiting for me. I have connections, man, and I'm not afraid to use them!"

The older gentleman rolled his eyes and went back to working, completely ignoring the rest of Naruto's continuous ranting.

"You should've let me fight him," Naruto huffed, walking past Sasuke, "I could've taken him, easy."

Sasuke caught up with him and smirked, "I doubt it. Within ten minutes, they would've been carting your torn up body to the morgue."

Naruto glared at him, then bursted out laughing, his ocean blue eyes watering as he held his stomach. He laughed even harder when his friend just stared at him, his face blank, "A-aw, man, I guess you're right. I never was much of a fighter," he wiped his eyes and grinned, "but when I'm serious, I can really kick some major ass!"

"Yes, well, I think we should be buying Christmas presents right now, not talking about your fighting skills," he unzipped his coat, the heat of the mall getting to him.

"But I wanted to get him that gaming system!.!" Naruto whined.

"Then let's leave and buy it some other time," Sasuke commented, _Maybe if we leave now, I'll have time to go over those audition tapes._

"No, I want it **now**!"

The raven sighed and stuffed his hands into his coat pockets, "You're acting very childish."

"Yeah, well, you're a fat head!"

Sasuke glared at him, Naruto glared back... and a contest began.

xXxXx

Sakura giggled as she smelled all the different lotions and body creams that were in Victoria's Secret, a saleswoman by her side to help her at any moment...

But Sai thought she was a lesbian. Ready to attack Sakura like an obese man would gobble up pie. He stood at the entrance of the shop, watching Sakura roam over every shelf, looking at every thing in stock, the saleswoman right behind her.

"Sakura, are you finished?" he asked, bored. He could've been out shopping with Naruto (something that he always enjoyed) instead of standing around a woman's "slut shop", waiting for Sakura to pick out her smelly lotions.

"You're shopping with a woman, Sai," she gave him a sickly sweet smile, "I won't be done for hours."

Sai sighed and leaned against the display window, drawing attention from onlookers. Some girls winked and waved, but the black-haired beauty wasn't interested in them. He wanted the attention of men. No just any man, but one man in particular. One that made his life worth living, made his heart stop with just one laugh, made him feel like he would cream his pants with just one simple look.

He coughed at that last part.

"What're those two doing?" one girl whispered to her friend as they passed by Sai.

"I don't know, they've been standing there for about five minutes, just glaring at each other," the other girl replied.

Sai turned and saw Naruto and some other male standing in the middle of the mall, glaring at each other, right next to the painting cart. The asian man drawing there seemed to be a bit annoyed since the two were in his personal space. Forgetting about Sakura, he ran towards them.

"Give up, Teme," Naruto kept his eyes from wavering.

"Hn," Sasuke narrowed his eyes even further.

Sai pushed through the small crowd, "Naruto-san," he called, loud enough for both men to hear him. Naruto turned and blinked.

Sasuke smirked, "You lost, Dobe."

"..."

"Naruto-san?" Sai questioned.

"You made me lose, Sai!" he yelled at his friend, pouting childishly. He really wasn't acting like himself today, but it was all Sasuke's fault!

The short-haired raven frowned a bit, "I'm sorry, but--"

"No, no, **I'm **sorry," Naruto sighed as the small crowd dispersed, "I'm just mad because I couldn't get the Playstation 3 for Silo, and then Sasuke-teme started calling me names," he sighed again, "I didn't mean to yell at you, Sai."

Sasuke scowled, _I didn't start calling him names._

Sai threw him a genuine smile, "It's alright."

"By the way... what're you doing here? I thought you were out with Sakura."

Sai laughed nervously, "I was, but she was taking too long."

"So sorry if I wasn't worth your time," Sakura growled from behind them, her arms crossed. But her anger immediately disappeared when she saw Sasuke, "O-oh, Sasuke-kun!" she latched herself onto his arm, "what a surprise! How are you this evening?" she purred.

Sasuke scrunched his nose up in annoyance, "Quite fine. Now if you don't mind, Naruto and I are going to finish are shopping," he pulled his arm away from the pink-headed girl.

Sakura jutted her bottom lip out, her emerald eyes sparkling with hope, "How about you two go shopping with me and Sai? Naruto was supposed to go shopping with him anyway."

Naruto spoke up, "She's right, you know. Why don't we all shop together?" he grinned and put an arm around Sai's shoulder, pulling him close, "it'll give me time to chat with Sai! I haven't hung out with him for a while and I bet he missed me!"

Sai smiled, not minding the closeness at all.

Sasuke sighed and pulled out his cellphone, dialing Kiba's phone number.

_"Waddya want, Uchiha, I'm trying to give Akamaru his bath!"_

"I'm not going to be home until around nine. I'm going to be..." he glanced at the small group of people, "out with friends," he grumbled.

_"Hah! Friends? You're kidding me, right? Who'd wanna be friends with--" _before he could finish, Sasuke snapped his phone shut and placed it back into his pocket.

xXxXx

After a good two more hours of looking around and shopping, the mall finally had to close and the group left, Sakura and Sai to the raven's car, Sasuke and Naruto to the blond's.

"See you guys at work tomorrow!" Naruto waved to them and climbed into the car while Sasuke placed their bags in the back of the car. But he did it in annoyance, mumbling something about how Naruto should be putting the stuff away since it's his car.

After he closed the trunk, he slid into the passanger's seat and put on his seatbelt, "You spent most of your money, I'm guessing you won't be getting him a Playstation 3?"

Naruto smiled a bit as he backed out, "I guess not... but... he'd be happy with anything I got him, right?" he tone was hopeful.

Sasuke leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes, "Of course," then he thought back on the conversation he had with Kakashi in the mens' bathroom while everyone else was in the arcade playing DDR.

----

_"You want me to what?" Kakashi sounded confused._

_"Go out and find a store that has Playstation 3's in stock. Once you find one, buy it."_

_Kakashi chuckled, "You're into videogames now?"_

_"Don't question me, just do it," Sasuke growled, then hung up._

----

Ok, so it wasn't as much of a conversation as it was an over-the-phone order.

"What're you smirking about?" Naruto asked as they passed Wal-mart and Arby's.

Sasuke kept his smirk in place and kept his eyes closed as they continued to ride down the busy streets. He wasn't going to tell the blond he had gotten Silo the gaming system.

Nope, he would just have to wait until Christmas to find out.

**(1)- it's one of those raccoon dog things. Like Hachi from Inuyasha... XD Hah, Inuyasha... funny.**

**Um... I guess this is a long chap? Well, hopefully I can get one more in before I go to Florida.**


	7. We've Got Our Actor

**Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto. Mehhh.**

**Yay, I'm back! Florida was nifty... except that 20 people died in their sleep when tornadoes came through their area :sweatdrop: Um, and a new chap of When Sounds Become Visual either tomorrow or Wednesday. Most likely Wednesday, but you can check tomorrow anyway.**

**Once again, this fic is dedicated to my lovely Xaayp. I love him to bits! If you're reading this, Xaayp, I love you:Huggle:**

An old woman passing by a small home hidden behind a few trees looked to her right, the sounds of screaming and yells of promised death coming through the open windows. She tugged lightly on the leash that connected to her fuzzy white poodle, trying to calm the pup down, but it wasn't really working. Quickly scurrying away, she glanced back when another cry of mercy was yanked out of some poor someone in the home.

Inside, Sai plopped down on his dark chocolate sofa, a Heineken in his left hand. He smirked against the mouth of the bottle as Silo, once again, defeated Naruto in a game of Soul Calibur 3. He leaned forward, his deep, brown eyes holding laughter.

"You lose again, Naruto-san," he chuckled.

The blond scowled and selected a new character; Yoshimitsu. Ignoring his friend, he tapped the buttons and rolled around the small joysticks until he was able to pull off an ultimate attack. His cerulean eyes shimmered with hope, but that faded away as soon as the move was blocked by a very small, yet powerful, Talim.

"Dammit!" He cried out, "I'll kill you!" he threatened.

Silo smiled sweetly and innocently (something he picked up from Sai), and pressed three buttons at the same time, making his character send Yoshimitsu flying over the edge.

"You're all talk, Chichiue," the crow chided. Pressing the start button to choose new characters, he smiled cutely once again, making Naruto's eyebrows twitch.

"You've been with Sai too much," he hissed, "I don't think he should watch you anymore."

Quickly, Silo's smile faltered and he pouted, his bright blue eyes big and pleading.

"Ne, Chichiue, you wouldn't stop me from seeing Ro-chan, would you?"

Sai arched two brows, amusedly. He always found the small banters between his best friend and his son quite interesting and humorous. The small boy would bring out his cute looks as his lethal weapon, while the older male would bring out his wits and trademark grin. Then when their childish arguments couldn't come to an end, they would ask Sai his opinion.

Basically, they were saying, "Which one of us is right? Huh?.!"

And no matter how right Silo was in most fights, he always agreed with Naruto. People do things like that when they're in love.

He sighed, "Let's end this now, please," he gave Silo a smile, "how about you and I go to Borders while Naruto-san heads out to work?" he chuckled as Silo immediately shut the Playstation 2 off and started putting on his sneakers.

Naruto blinked, "You're taking him to Borders?" then he frowned, "but I don't have any money to give him right now."

"Don't worry about it, I have it covered, Naruto-san," the other Wal-mart worker got up from his seat and sat his untouched beer on the nook, "just go to work," he smiled again, "and tell Sakura I said hello."

"O-oh, alright, thanks," Naruto grinned and patted his good friend on the shoulder before giving Silo a quick hug, "have fun with Ro-chan," he laughed and stood up, "and Sai!" he started, staring down the other man, "don't spend too much on him, got it? He's a kid, not a woman."

Sai chuckled, "I know that. If he was a woman, I doubt I would like him."

"So true, you fag," he joked, then headed toward the front door, his hand moving to the silvery knob, "now Silo, remember, no yaoi until you're thirteen, got it?"

"Hai," his son chirped, his sneakers finally on.

Naruto pulled open the door and waved to them one last time before heading outside, the chilly air hitting him full force. He wrapped his thick coat tighter around himself and held his head down, keeping the wind from blowing against his face. Running across the small yard, he unlocked his car and practically jumped into it, his teeth chattering.

As the days until Christmas lessened, it seemed like the air got colder and colder. It still hadn't snowed yet, but Naruto knew it would soon. He looked forward to it, though. No work, no driving Silo to school, no nothing. Just hanging with his son around the apartment, playing videogames, talking about girls and guys (specifically, Jack), eating instant ramen and rice, and playing with their cute bunny, Kohi.

_Crap, which reminds me. I need to get my ass home and feed Kohi._

Turning the corner as soon as the green arrow appeared, he sped down the vacant roads, only trees and cows around. Sai didn't live in the country like Kiba; he just chose to buy a house in between heifer-loving old people.

xXxXx

Silo ran up and down the manga aisles, searching for the perfect one. He wanted a story with a combination of action, drama, Lolita-ness and sci-fi.

"How about… Vampire Knight? Plenty of girls in skimpy, puffy dresses," Sai commented as he scanned over the cover of the manga. He, himself, didn't find manga that interesting. Really, who in their right mind would read about an orange-clad ninja and his emo buddy named… Sashimi?

The worker shook his head.

"Lemme see!" the small crow plucked the black and white book out of his hand, and read the back of it, his crystal blue eyes revealing curiosity. He then skimmed through it and grinned, making him look a lot like his father, "I want this one, Ro-chan!"

"Do you like vampires? Or do you just like the sexy men in there?" Sai smirked as a blush bloomed on Silo's chubby cheeks, "mmm, the silver-haired man in there looks delicious."

The crow huffed and tried to hide his embarrassed blush by covering his face with his book. His gorgeous eyes moved up to meet amused chocolate ones.

"Ano… you don't really like him, do you?"

"Who?" Sai asked.

"The silver-haired guy…

The older man chuckled, "Of course not, he's fictional."

Silo placed his book on the counter to be paid for, his eyes downcast as the woman rung it up, "Oh, ok…"

"Why?"

Silo looked up again, his brows scrunched together, "You can't like him if you like Chichiue."

Sai's eyes widened a fraction, but he kept himself calm as he paid for the book, taking the bag from the employee. He mumbled a "let's go" to the small child and they walked out through the large double doors.

"What makes you think I like Naruto-san?" they both crossed the parking lot quickly, Sai opening the back door and helping Silo in. He buckled the boy in and made his way up front, shutting the door and starting the car.

"You smile around him a lot," Silo started, "and sometimes, you'll be nervous around him. Just like how I am…" he blushed, "with Jack."

Sai looked back and smiled, "I see. Well… I do love him, but he doesn't feel the same. Naruto-san likes women, not men… and certainly not me," he turned back around and pulled out when no cars were coming in his direction. Going through the yellow light, he turned right and began the drive back to his home.

Looking down at his small hands, Silo spoke, "But Chichiue said that if you love someone a lot… God will allow you be with that person, no matter what."

Sai didn't smile, _I don't believe in God._

"How much do you love Chichiue?" Silo asked, looking up.

The worker thought about that for a moment. He had fallen for the blond the moment he met him. Naruto was just a beacon of light in the dreary place he called his life. When his parents had died and he was living alone in a roofless and run-down concrete shed, Naruto had found him and offered him a place to stay. Of course, they were both eight at the time, but god, Sai had though the blond was an angel.

"So much it hurts," he stated after a few moments of silence in the automobile, "but it's still bearable…"

xXxXx

Kohi's little pink nose twitched constantly as Naruto stared at her. She blinked her large, golden eyes and moved a fuzzy, padded foot forward, ready to hop away at any second. But Naruto wasn't going to have that. Nope.

"I fed you and played with you, it's time to go back in your cage," the blond reached down and picked the white bunny up before she could scurry away, "be a good little rabbit while I go to work," he then placed her back in her small home and ran out of the room, grabbing his keys off the counter.

His cell phone rang as he ran out of the home and he answered it.

"Yo, Uzumaki Naruto speaking."

"_Oi, Fox Boy, wanna come over to watch the Steelers game later today after you get off of work?" _ It was Kiba.

Naruto blinked as he got into his car and drove off, "Sure, but how'd you get my number?"

"_From Sasuke,"_ the brunette was grinning on the other end.

"Ah, is he going to be there too?"

"_Of course, man, he's frickin' bummin' off of me right now."_

The blond snickered as he drove past Best Buy, then he went into the left turn lane and sped into the Wal-mart parking lot, finding his favorite space vacant and ready just for him. He grinned and parked while Kiba talked about random things.

"I'll be over right after work. That should be around five," Naruto got out of his car and shut the door, locking it before he ran to the front doors, Sakura outside taking her lunch break.

"_Ok, see ya then! I'll have booze and chips!" _ he then hung up.

Naruto closed his phone and tucked it away, grinning to Sakura as he approached her, "Ohayo, Sakura-chan!"

The pink-haired woman turned to him and smiled, "Naruto! I thought you weren't working today!"

"Ah, I am. I put in for extra hours 'cause I need the cash, you—" he suddenly stopped talking, his mouth open.

Sakura frowned, "Something wrong? Is there something on my face?" she ran her fingers over her left cheek.

"Sh-shit! I forgot my vest!" the fox boy whined.

The girl giggled and tugged hers off, "Here," she handed it to him, "I'm thinking about leaving early, anyway. I have a dentist appointment soon."

"You're a lifesaver, Sakura-chan!" he pulled her into a strong embrace, causing her to go into a coughing fit and kick her legs back in forth as she was lifted into the air.

"P-put me down!" she cried.

Placing her back on solid ground, Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "Sorry."

"Yeah," Sakura brushed off her skirt and started walking inside, Naruto following right behind her, "well, have fun working and I'll see you tomorrow morning," she gave him a peck on the cheek before running in to tell Jiraiya of her early leave.

Naruto started shrugging the vest on, but he scowled when he finally got it on, the material fitting snug over his chest. He liked his vest to be baggy, but he guessed that he didn't really have a choice. Stepping into the store, he instantly received stares from females.

"Looking good, Naruto!" one of his frequent customers, Amanda, yelled as her items were being rung up by Ten Ten, "trying to look good so you can get some ass?.!"

Naruto grinned idiotically, "Nah, haven't found anyone good enough for me yet," he joked. Going to his own register, he turned the light on to show he was ready for customers.

_Just a few hours of this, then a football game and booze!_

xXxXx

Sasuke walked down the gravel path that led from the driveway to the mailbox. Pulling down the small door, he reached in and took hold of the mail, flipping through it until he came upon a letter from his brother. He frowned and wondered how the hell Itachi had gotten a hold of his address.

_I should've known he'd find me sooner or later._

Going back inside, he dropped the rest of the mail on the counter and began tearing open his own, pulling out a typed up note. He almost rolled his eyes. His brother never hand wrote him a letter in his entire life, why would he now?

_Otouto,_

_I hope you know that your disappearance from Japan has caused quite a stir. Millions of letters from fans have been mailed to my company, all of them asking where you've suddenly gone off to. How reckless and idiotic of you, leaving right before a television interview. You could have left **afterwards**. Have I taught you nothing over the years?_

Sasuke smirked, practically hearing Itachi's annoyance.

_And when you actually arrive in America, you stay with that lowclass friend of yours? Well, you could've paid for a room in a Hilton at the very least. But you were probably afraid of me finding you and dragging you back to Tokyo. Sometimes, I wonder if we're even related at all. Except for our looks and similar scowls, we're completely different._

The raven couldn't agree more.

_But that is besides the point. I wouldn't have even written this letter at all if it weren't for that worry wart of a lover Kakashi has. He's been bothering me all morning, telling me to write a letter to you and your manager. Honestly, he has no right to boss me around. I write his checks._

Sasuke saw the childish side of his brother in that paragraph. Also, it was true that Kakashi's lover was a worry wart. It amazed him that despite how much Kakashi and Iruka loved each other, his manager still had the audacity to look at women. He was gay for crying out loud.

_He wants Kakashi to know that he misses him and if he comes home smelling the least bit like perfume, he's going to burn his Icha Icha Paradise collection. Now, aside from that, I'm not going to stand by and wait for your return to Japan, so I've scheduled a flight to Maryland this week. Expect to see me soon and don't try to relocate yourself, I'll find you. I always do._

_Your beloved Aniki_

The raven ripped the paper up and threw it in the trash. He scowled at nothing in particular, then went into the living room, Kakashi seated on the couch watching the news. The silver-haired manager smiled under his mask at the annoyed look on the actor's face.

"Is something the matter?" he asked, sounding like he truly cared.

"My aniki's coming to visit this week," he said angrily.

Kakashi blinked, "How did he find out we were here?"

"You know my brother like the back of your hand, Kakashi, I doubt you don't know," Sasuke sat down beside his manager, watching something about weather in Virginia on T.V.

"Ah, so he sent out the other Akatsuki members," the man seemed utterly amused, "Itachi wastes little time, doesn't he?"

Sasuke grumbled in response, then remembered Iruka's message in the letter, "Iruka mentioned something in the letter, as well."

Kakashi practically beamed, "Is that so? What did my precious Dolphin-chan say?"

"That he'll burn all of your filthy porn books if you return to Japan smelling like women," the actor smirked and crossed his arms, watching the look of horror cross Kakashi's face.

"I-I'm sure he won't," the scarecrow laughed nervously, "it's just an empty threat."

"Hn," Sasuke leaned back and continued to watch the news as Kakashi jumped up from the couch and ran to call his lover. He was about to say something about calling long distance, but he just kept his mouth closed and shrugged. After all, he wasn't the one paying the phone bill.

xXxXx

Kiba finished up his task of feeding his farm animals, the empty bags of grain and hollow barrels of hay being discarded somewhere along the outside of the barn. He clapped his hands together to get rid of the remnants of wheat, then he said his farewells to the only animals that were still awake after finishing their meals; the horses.

Kicking off his muddy boots as he entered the house, he sniffled loudly, attracting the attention of Akamaru. The giant, golden dog leaped off of the top step of the stairs and began running in circles around his owner. The brunette grinned and went into the kitchen, Sasuke standing in front of the washer and dryer in the laundry room that was connected to it.

"I know what you want, buddy," he scratched the top of Akamaru's head with affection, "a delicious steak!"

Sasuke glanced over to him and his lips twitched, "You give him steak for dinner? I'm surprised he hasn't gotten fat and died of a heart attack yet."

Kiba opened up the fridge and pulled out a large plate that held a T-bone steak that was lying in a small pool of juices and blood, "Akamaru loses the wait when he's out in the field with me, Uchiha," he then snorted, "and how the hell can you not notice me feeding him steaks every evening? You're fuckin' oblivious."

The raven snorted and went back to waiting for his laundry to be done. But since he knew it'd take a while and he had nothing better to do, he focused on Kiba's tasks in the kitchen. It wasn't the most interesting of things to watch, but it was better than going into the living room and listening to Kakashi plead for his lover not to burn his porn.

His obsidian eyes followed every movement. From giving Akamaru his meal, to pulling out two containers of wheat beer brewed in the wonderful country of Germany. Wait--

Sasuke raised his eyebrows suspiciously, _He only brings out that type of beer when something special is about to happen._

"Is there something you're not sharing with me, Inuzuka?" he asked.

Kiba turned to him and had one brow raised, "Um, my beer? Fuck off. Go find something to do. I dunno, go paint your nails or wash your hair with Pantene."

Sasuke scowled at him and stalked forward, ignoring the annoying buzz of the dryer that was trying to tell the Uchiha that his clothes were done. He narrowed his eyes even further, "I'm a very masculine person," he growled.

Kiba grinned impishly, "Yeah, and I'm Virgin Mary."

"You're no virgin," Sasuke hissed.

"That's right!" Kiba's dark eyes shimmered with amusement, "I'm not, am I? But I know someone who is!"

Kakashi chose that moment to walk in, the cordless phone in his hand. He smiled to them under his mask and put the phone back onto the charger, "My, my, what're you buys up to?" he noticed the deadly looks in both of their gazes and chuckled, "well, Naruto just called and he said he'd be over as soon as he picked up Silo."

"Shit, he's bringin' the kid?" Kiba groaned, "I told him I'd have booze, why the hell would he bring his little brat?"

Sasuke was suddenly yanked out of his foul mood, his lips moving up into a smirk, "The dobe's coming over?"

"We're watching a football game," the brunette walked out of the kitchen, ramming his shoulder against Sasuke as some sort of apology. They were like that, ever since childhood. Constant fights, then constant (and strange) apologies right afterwards.

"Why wasn't I informed of this?" the raven asked, following Kiba out into the dining room.

"Because you were never a football fan, Uchiha. I thought you'd have more fun up in your room watching that audition tape of Naruto moaning like a bitch in heat," the farmer joked, a large smile on his tan face.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes dangerously, "You know I haven't watch the tapes yet, and I have no interest in him at all. Personally, I don't find him that attractive."

Kiba laughed, "Yeah, I agree with you there. Blondes just get tiring after a while, ya know?"

Just as he finished his sentence, the doorbell rang and a very high pitched squeel was heard, then an audible "It's trying to eat my son!" echoed around the wooden house.

Kakashi chuckled and began walking to the front door, "Kiba, I believe Rutherford got out again."

"Damn it," Kiba cursed and flew past Kakashi, yanking open the door to see Silo getting tugged across the porch by a large, grey goat. Naruto was tugging on his son, but the animal wouldn't release its hold, "Let go, Rutherford!" he lifted the goat up and it released the shirt sleeve from its mouth with a loud "Baaaa!", its stubby body wriggling back and forth in Kiba's grip.

Silo looked down at his saliva-covered sleeve and pouted, "Ano, it's all sticky and warm..."

"Sorry about that, Rutherford doesn't like staying in his pen all day. Sometimes, he'll get impatient and just ram his way out," Kiba explained.

Naruto glared at him, "That thing almost ate my son!"

"He just wanted to eat his shirt, Blondie, not him," he rolled his eyes and motioned for him to go in, the fat goat still in his arms, "go take a seat, turn on the T.V., have a beer. I'll be right back."

Mumbling under his breath, Naruto led Silo and himself into the house, Sasuke standing by the couch with his arms crossed, smirk in place. Next to him, Kakashi rooted through a large stack of newspapers, intent on finding a certain one to read in the dining room while the football game was on.

"Hey, Teme," Naruto greeted, his voice husky.

Sasuke snorted and plopped down onto the sofa, "Time and place, Dobe," he patted the seat next to him, throwing Silo a friendly smile. It was so unlike him to do something like that, but he couldn't resist being friendly with the adorable child.

Silo moved away from Naruto and jumped onto the couch, scooting close to Sasuke, "Konnichiwa, Uchiha-san! Ogenki desu ka?" he asked in Japanese.

Sasuke crossed his legs, "Genki desu," he replied.

Shoving Sasuke against the arm of the couch, Naruto sat between them, a grin on his face, "Bring on the booze! And chips!"

Kiba came in, brushing off his hands that were now bare (he'd dropped the gloves on the floor in the hallway), and went into the kitchen, "I'm gettin' it, I'm gettin' it," he grabbed the packs of beer and three bags of chips, bringing them into the living room and sitting them on the wide coffee table in front of the sofa, "but what about Silo?"

"I'll take apple juice!" the little crow chirped, settling himself against the warm cushions of the couch.

Kiba went back into the kitchen and pulled out the juice, "You're lucky, kid, I have just enough for one cup," pouring all of the substance into a bright green, plastic cup, he brought it out and gave it to the child.

"Arigato!" Silo took the drink and gulped down half the cup before Kiba could even reach for the remote to turn the T.V. on.

Naruto leaned back and grinned at Sasuke, winking at him suggestively. Of course, he was only teasing, causing the raven to let out a small laugh while he, himself, broke out into continuous chains of laughter. After Kiba turned on the television, he sat down with them.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Naruto grinned once again as the pre-game came on, thousands of fans in the stands of the stadium cheering and screaming for their teams.

xXxXx

Four hours later, Silo was asleep, curled up on Naruto's lap, his head against the blond's chest. The cup he had his apple juice in was empty and lying on the floor, forgotten. Sasuke and Naruto were just sitting there while the television was off, the gave having been over a good ten minutes ago. Upstairs, Kiba was rummaging around for some clothes to put on since he had to run out to get some toilet paper. Sure, he was a bit drunk, but that never stopped him from driving before.

Naruto ran his fingers through Silo's hair, a small smile on his lips, "Oi, Teme, we should do this more often. It really made Silo happy."

Sasuke grunted in agreement as he got up, "Do you need me to drive you two home?"

"I'm not drunk," Naruto laughed, "but that would be nice. I'll sit in the back with Silo and make sure he doesn't wake up. He needed a nap after running around like a nut with Sai today," he got up and carefully hoisted Silo over his shoulder, the crow unconsciously mumbling.

"Don't hit his head on the door frame," Sasuke smirked and grabbed Kiba's car keys off the counter. That mutt could wait a few minutes while Sasuke dropped Naruto off.

Naruto frowned, "What kind of father would I be if I let that happen?" but he slowly pulled Silo closer to himself as he followed Sasuke outside.

xXxXx

After dropping the two Uzumaki's off, Sasuke came back and immediately went up to his room, ignoring the yells of Kiba who had freaked out when he realized his car was gone. Grabbing the audition tapes, he popped one into the VCR and sat on the bed with the remote, ready to watch them. He really had nothing better to do right now and he needed to watch them, anyway.

Of course, the first tape was of Naruto, the blond's huffy appearance reminding Sasuke of the day it was recorded. First, there was the moan, which had Sasuke chuckling once again. Then, came the part dealing with the drama. The way Naruto's expression shifted from annoyed, to desperate, to utter despair... it made Sasuke's stomach drop and his heart skip a beat. How the blond's eyes looked completely empty and how his brows furrowed together in a way that made himself look like he was about to break... Just those simple actions made Sasuke dump the other videos in the trash.

_He might be an idiot in real life, but he's a genius when it comes to acting._

**I'll try to get the new chap up soon!**


	8. Happy Drunks and Confessions

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but someday, I'll own a nifty show of my own!**

**I saw Hannibal Rising last night and I have to say, it was really good, and Hannibal was played by the hottest guy :Swoon: I just loved how he played the character and he had nice lips and pretty blue eyes... and a nice ass :Grin: When he murdered the first guy that had eaten his sister back in the war, he looked just oh so delicious! Tugging himself along on that rope... :Squeels: If you haven't seen the movie, go do so! He's the smexiest thing ever and the movie was really good.**

**This story is dedicated to the lovely and handsome devil known as Xaayp. You rock my world, baby! **

**And sorry this is so short, but I have school stuff :sweatdrop:**

Naruto ran the many grocery items over the scanner, humming a tune to himself as he did so. He was in an exceptionally good mood today and nothing, absolutely nothing, was going to ruin it. If something or someone tried, he'd just have to slit their throats before they were successful.

"What's got you so elated, Gaki?" Jiraiya asked as he passed by, on his daily check of the store, "I haven't seen you this happy in a good while."

The blond bagged the groceries quickly and placed them in the customer's cart, smiling and bidding them a polite farewell before turning his attention to his boss, "Why, I received a phone call from a certain raven-haired bastard this morning," he grinned, "and do you know what he told me? Hmm?"

Jiraiya lips formed a tight line and he raised a brow, "That he'd like to take you out to dinner?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes, _Remember, Naruto, no one's going to ruin your good mood!_

"**No**, that I made it to the finals!" he threw his arms up in the air and let out a resounding "whoop".

Jiraiya chuckled, "I'll be damned. You might actually get that life you deserve, after all. So, the finals, you say?"

Naruto nodded eagerly, closing his register momentarily so he could converse with the old man, "They're not really finals... it's more like I just have to act in front of some other people and see if they think I can do the part or not... So, basically, I got the lead role!" his grin widened, "I just have to prove my acting skills to some other people, is all!"

Jiraiya ruffled Naruto's hair with a large, wrinkled hand, "Good for you, kid."

Naruto looked up at his boss with clear blue eyes, "Are you sad that... I'll probably have to leave?"

"Hell yeah, I'm sad," Jiraiya frowned, "you're like my son and you're going to end up leaving this job, of course I'm upset."

The blond's smile faultered, _That's right... I'll have to leave this place, leave all of my good friends behind..._

"But I'll get over it. You're moving on to a better life, so I should be happy for you."

_That's right, Silo and I are going to have a better life... That's reason enough to give everything up here._

_For Silo._

xXxXx

Sasuke sipped his mineral water as cheers errupted all around him. Large football fans watched the Redskins game from their seats at the bar, their dark red jerseys annoying the raven's eyes. Next to him sat Naruto, the blond downing his fourth bottle of beer. He was laughing merrily with Sai, who was standing behind him, his hands deep in the pockets of his black hoodie. Glancing away from a quick moving bartender, Sasuke noticed how attractive Sai's smile was. It wouldn't matter if someone was gay or straight, that slight upturn of lips would draw anyone in.

That's when he thought of something. He only ever smiled so sweetly to Naruto.

"Gimme anotha beer!" Naruto slurred, his tan cheeks flushed a lovely rosy red. He swayed on his stool, but Sai quickly moved his hands to the man's arms, keeping him from falling backwards. The blond grinned and craned his neck back, giving Sai's chin a long, wet lick.

Sai looked stunned, but his dark eyes seemed to suddenly turn into dark seas, the salty waves ready to crash over boating docks, wanting to spill over the wood. He let go of Naruto's arms and moved to his side, "I think Uchiha-san and I should take you home now, Naruto-san."

Naruto shook his head stubbornly and gripped onto the bar, "No! I wanna stay here an' drink 'til I pass out," he giggled like a small child and threw Sasuke a sugary sweet smile, "you'll lemme stay, righ' Sasu-chan?" he purred.

The raven smirked and tossed his empty water bottle in the trash behind him, "It would be better if you let us drive you home. Silo's waiting there with your pink-haired friend, remember?"

"Mmm, Sakura-chan can watch 'im a lil longer," he leaned against Sai and closed his eyes, "Saiiiiiii," he whined, "order me anotha beer!"

Sai refused, "We're taking you home. Besides, I'm sure you'd enjoy sitting around on your couch figuring out ways to get Silo and Jack together, correct?"

Naruto's eyes slowly fluttered open, blue orbs hazy, "I s'pose..."

Pulling out his car keys, Sasuke stood up, "If I would've known you'd get drunk, I wouldn't have brought you here in the first place. Even though it is a celebration."

"I'm gonna be a super star! I'm gonna be filthy rich! Rich, bitch!" he hiccuped and giggled again, falling back, but being caught by both Sasuke and Sai. He blinked up at them, then grinned devilishly, "ya know... we should have a threesome. Mmm, yeah, that'd be fuckin' hot."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and hoisted his friend off of the stool, moving him up until he was over his shoulder. He and Sai walked out of the restuarant, Naruto not even putting up a fight, choosing instead to stick a hand down Sasuke's jeans, grinning when he gripped a firm globe(1).

The raven growled and shoved Naruto off of him, giving him over to Sai, "Let him molest **you**," he then unlocked his car, pulling open the back door.

Sai smiled a bit and placed his drunk best friend inside, yanking the seatbelt over his chest and pushing it into the buckle. He turned to look into blue eyes when two strong hands gripped his arm, "Naruto-san?"

Naruto gave him a large smile, "Ya wanna have a threesome, right?"

Chuckling, Sai pulled away and shut the door. He wouldn't admit that he actually wanted to, though. Getting into the car and shutting his door, Sai buckled himself in.

"Drop Naruto-san off first. The both of us will need to carry him inside," he commented.

Sasuke nodded and started the engine.

In the back, Naruto wriggled around and huffed, "I'm horny," he complained loudly.

Both Sasuke and Sai shook their heads.

xXxXx

"Chichiue!" Silo ran up to his father and pouted worriedly when he saw Naruto being pulled in by two ravens.

Sakura got up from her spot on the sofa and approached them, taking Naruto into her arms, "He always drinks too much when he's happy," she laughed softly, then saw Sasuke and blushed a bit, "Hi, Sasuke-kun!" she chirped.

Sasuke nodded to her and brushed himself off, "I think we should be going. Take care of the dobe for us."

Sakura nodded eagerly.

"Of course!"

Naruto blinked open tired eyes and wriggled aroun in Sakura's hold, "N-no, don' leave ye'!" he whined, "I don' wanna be 'lone!"

Sakura steadied him and began to guide him to his bedroom, Silo following them like a baby duckling, "You won't be alone, Naruto, Silo and I are here," she smiled, but knew that Naruto really was feeling lonely. A few months ago, Naruto had told her that almost every night, even though he was always with Silo, he felt alone. That's why (when he wasn't busy) he would always go out with new women every night. He wanted to feel needed and he wanted people surrounding him.

"We should leave," Sasuke stepped out of the apartment .

Sai nodded in agreement, then hesitently closed the door behind him as both he and Sasuke walked back to the car.

xXxXx

Waking up with a splitting headache, Naruto groaned and rolled over, wanting nothing more than to fall into a deep, black, numbing hole. He felt something wiggle around beside him and saw Silo looking up at him with worried blue eyes. Never breaking the gaze, Naruto pouted.

"How'd I get home?"

Silo sat up, the blankets falling over his shoulders, his black hair in messy tangles, "Uchiha-san and Ro-chan brought you back."

Blinking, Naruto huffed, "I can never hold my alcohol when I'm happy," he mumbled, getting out of bed. Gripping his head, he hissed, "shit, I need some medicine."

"I'll go ask Sakura-nee for some!" Silo jumped out of bed and ran out of the room, calling out for Sakura, who had apparently stayed the night. Not even a minute later, the boy scurried back in and held up a bottle, a large smile plastered on his face, "here!"

Naruto took it with a small smile. Popping off the cap, he took two of the pills and swallowed them without water, his tongue running out to lick his dry lips, _I must've drank a lot because this is one hell of a hangover._

"Oh, Sakura-nee said breakfast was ready," Silo said quietly, knowing his dad's head hurt.

"Mmmm, food," Naruto practically drooled, "that sounds good right about now," he watched Silo, once again, run out of the room, and he unconsciously smiled. His son was just too adorable and caring...

A large smirk spread from ear to ear on the male's face, memories of Silo's crush on Jack resurfacing in his mind. Oh yes, today was going to be the day that he got those two kids together. Well, he'd make plans as soon as his headache went away.

xXxXx

Sasuke had his hands tucked deep in his pockets, snow falling all around him and his blond companion that was crouching down in the bushes, peaking into the daycare through one of its large ground-level windows. He refrained from rolling his eyes and sighed, not really understanding why he had to be there in the first place.

"Ok, the coast is clear," Naruto stood up and grabbed Sasuke's wrist, intent on dragging the raven inside with him, "the kids and workers always have their lunch in the room next door, but Silo and his friends like to stay in the playroom while they eat. That fact is a major step in my plan," he laughed idiotically.

The raven narrowed his eyes, pulling his wrist away, "Exactly what are you planning on doing? And what is the purpose of me being here?" even though he asked this, he still stepped inside next to the blond.

"I'm going to lock both Silo and Jack in the cubby closet together," the blond grinned, "until my cute little crow spills his guts."

Sasuke would've laughed if it were funny, "Locking children in closets? I'd call that abuse, Dobe."

"It's not abuse if it's helping someone," Naruto stated, spotting his son and his friends sitting at a corner table. Jack was beside Silo, smiling and laughing with him as they chatted about something. Stopping and shoving Sasuke forward, he muttered, "get the others to go into the other room with the other kids."

Glaring back at his friend, Sasuke growled, "I will do no such thing."

"Do it or I'll sick the entire Frederick female population on you. Believe me, I'll do it," Naruto threatened happily.

Grumbling and moving forward, Sasuke eyed the children until they all looked up. There were two small girls next to Silo, and another boy across from them, the kid working on what seemed to be a truck made out of clay.

"Uchiha-san?" Silo asked, confused.

Sasuke pointed to the girls and boy, "You're needed in the other room."

One of the girls blinked, her large steel eyes staring down the raven, "What for?"

"Yeah, what for?" the other girl, who looked like the other's twin, asked.

Sighing, Sasuke crossed his arms, "Candy."

The three childrens' eyes lit up and they all stood, "Candy?.!"

"Yes, candy, now leave," not even a second later, the two girls and the boy ran into the next room, leaving a stunned Silo and a confused Jack. The little chocolate-haired boy furrowed his brows.

"Who are you?" His voice was a bit deeper than Silo's, and silky smooth. Sasuke felt his lips twitch upwards, _No wonder he likes him._

"It's Uchiha-san," Silo said, "he's my Chichiue's friend... Uchiha-san," he started, looking up at the actor, "why are you here?"

Sasuke gently wrapped a hand around both of their arms and lifted them up from their seats, dragging them to the cubby closet. Truthfully, he didn't want to be doing this, but thinking seeing the squirming Jack and pouting Silo, he decided to change his mind. He loved going against other people's wills.

"Let go!" Jack struggled, but was easily tossed into the closet, Silo being pushed against him. Then darkness covered them as the door was closed and locked.

From the other side, Sasuke spoke, "Silo, blame the dobe."

Flushing five different shades of red, Silo moved as far away from Jack as possible, his back hitting a large section of cubbies, _Ch-ch-chichiue!_ he inwardly whined.

"Silo?" Jack asked, squinting his eyes to adjust to the darkness, "are you ok? He didn't hurt your arm, did he?"

Pulling his arms to himself, the crow stayed in the corner, afraid of being near Jack. This scenerio was similar to many others. When Naruto wanted to catch him in a lie, he would stick him in the coat closet. Then, in a matter of minutes, he would confess and all would be well, "I-I'm fine..."

_Chichiue wants me to tell him I like him... _he swallowed, his cheeks burning from the dark blush, _b-but what if he doesn't like me back? Then it won't be ok... _he felt his eyes water and he sniffled.

Thinking that his friend was in pain, Jack stumbled through the darkness and felt around for his friend, "You don't sound ok. Silo, where are you?" his hand then fell upon a shaking shoulder, "you're crying!" he drew his hand back.

"I-I am not," Silo tried to convince his the boy, but failed miserably, his thin frame shaking, _Stop crying, just tell him..._ "J-Jack, I--" he squeeked when hands were placed on his shoulders, the presence of his crush right in front of him. He looked up and saw Jack's dark brown eyes gleaming in the small, thin strip of light that came through the crack of the door. He closed his eyes, his cheeks continuing to burn.

"Silo?" the brunette asked worriedly when the crow stopped shaking.

"Jack, I-I..." he swallowed and tightly shut his eyes, "Jack, I like you!"

**(1) Hah, Naruto's gay when he's drunk XD**

**Next chapter- The results of Silo's confession, Sakura's desire to make Sasuke her boyfriend, a visit from Itachi, and a very pissed off Naruto.**


	9. A Good Friend

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been at Katsucon in Washington D.C... I bought a yaoi paddle and smacked a bunch of hot gay guys:Hearts: AND I got a picture taken with the best Kyo (from Dir en Grey) cosplayer EVER! He looked exactly like him, sang, and screamed just like him. God, I was on cloud nine! ... and I got humped by a gay guy! XD**

**This chapter was typed on one of my "uber exhaustion days". Meaning, right after I got back from the convention. So sorry if it sucks. I'll make it up with the next chap, promise. So sleepy... :Collapses:**

"You're going to what?" Ten Ten asked Sakura, who was humming happily as she put the new shipment of toys on their appropriate shelves. The whole day, the pink-haired worker had been singing, humming, and dancing around as she worked, annoying Ten Ten to no end. She loved her friend to death, but sometimes, Sakura was just too... bubbly.

"I'm going to ask Sasuke-kun out on a date," Sakura smiled dreamily as she imagined the raven holding her hand as they walked through the mall together, only smiling for her, "but I don't know how. He's always hanging around with Naruto," yes, she was jealous of her blond friend. She knew he was straight and would never steal her precious Sasuke-kun away from her, but she was still angry that her crush was never alone.

"You know," Ten Ten started, her arms crossed, "you could just ask him out, anyway. How is Naruto being there stopping you?"

"I want to ask him in private!" she blushed, "under the stars."

The other worker rolled her eyes and began walking away from her friend, "You have fun with that. My break's over, I'm going back to the deli to help Hinata."

_Sasuke-kun will soon be mine, _Sakura cheered inwardly, not noticing the little boy walking down the aisle, browsing around for a toy. She threw her arms in the air and let out a loud "all mine!". Being pulled out of her dream world by the small boy tugging on her vest, she looked down.

"I'm sure they don't pay you to daydream, lady," he pointed up at the top shelf, "and hand me that toy."

Sakura felt her right eye twitch.

xXxXx

Naruto freaked when the doors to the other room opened, the kids and watchers coming back in from their lunch break. He shoved Sasuke towards the door and they both ran. Well, Naruto ran, Sasuke just moved quickly, looking annoyed.

"What about Silo and Jack?" he asked as he was practically thrown outside.

"Oh, they'll be let out eventually. LET'S GO!" Naruto unlocked his car and they both got in. He started the engine and backed out.

"Do you think he confessed?" Sasuke asked, crossing his legs.

"Silo cracks under pressure. And, you see, when he was younger, when I wanted him to tell me things, I'd lock him in a closet--"

Sasuke sighed, "So you abused him?"

"It wasn't abuse, Teme!" the blond growled, "now, do you want me to drop you off at Kiba's place? Or do you want to hang around with me in my trashy apartment?" he grinned, "you can help me clean!"

"Hn, take me home."

Naruto scrunched up his nose, "You're no fun."

xXxXx

Walking up the gravel path, Sasuke pulled out his cellphone, noting that he had one missed call. Putting it to his ear, he listened to the voice message.

_"I've arrived in Maryland, Otouto. I should be at Kiba's within the hour."_

Yanking the phone away, he looked down at when his brother had called.

11:43 a.m.

And right now, it was 1:20 p.m.

He walked faster and entered the home, but no one was in the kitchen, dining room, or living room. Placing his cellphone on the counter, he walked further inside, stopping after he heard a creaking of floorboards upstairs. Going up the stairs, he glanced down the empty hallway, noticing a shadow on the open door of one of the guest rooms.

"Otouto," a voice behind him purred.

Sasuke turned harshly and came face to face with his older brother, Itachi. The man looked very similar to the actor, except his dark hair cascaded over his shoulder in watery locks, and there were long lines going from his eyes to mid cheek. The elder had raised brows and his lips were in a straight line as Sasuke frowned.

"You don't look happy to see me," Itachi stated and tucked a lock of hair behind his ear, the piercing on the lobe shimmering under the hallway lights.

Sasuke tucked his hands into his pockets and frowned, "You just scared me. I thought you were in the guest room."

Chuckling, Itachi started unbuttoning his red and black cloak. The item of clothing was always on him when he went out. It was a mark of who he was, who he used to be, and what he will always be in the future. A member of the Akatsuki, "That is dear Tobi. He wanted to come with me on this trip, and how could I deny him?"

Tobi was another member of the Akatsuki. He had short brown hair and always wore a bright orange mask over his face, even when he slept (amazingly enough).

Now, the Akatsuki is a group of nine members who are well known in the acting industry. They're called assassins, for the reason that they could destroy any actor or actress's career overnight. They could favor someone and put them high up in status just as quick, too. But they do this all secretly, nobody knowing their identities.

Sasuke knew that if Itachi didn't like Naruto, the blond would never be able to become famous, never be able to make the money he wanted in order to live a good life. But he knew Naruto was good enough.

"Now, where is this Naruto person?" Itachi asked as he folded his cloak over his left arm.

"At his apartment."

"Hm, I see. Bring him over tonight for dinner... I'll see if he's worthy of becoming an actor contracted to our company," he walked around his younger brother and went into the guest room, Tobi greeting him politely as he entered.

Frowning, Sasuke went back downstairs, Kakashi coming through the front door.

"Is Itachi here yet? Kiba called from the store and told me he arrived at the airport earlier," the silver-haired man placed his car keys on top of the microwave.

"He's upstairs with Tobi," Sasuke answered and sat down on the couch, "and don't say anything about the dobe while around him. I can tell he wants to use him for his own amusement," yes, he could definitely figure out his older brother's intentions by the type of smile the man wore on his face.

xXxXx

Naruto stood outside of the daycare, glancing at his watch every once and a while. He had quickly left with Sasuke earlier, but now it was time to pick his son up and he waited patiently outside the glass doors. Well, he wasn't really being patient because he was constantly leaping from foot to foot, eagerly awaiting for the long hand on his watch to strike twelve.

_I hope it went well for him. Being shot down when you're five wouldn't be so great, _he thought to himself, but was rattled from his thoughts by the alarm on his watch going off. Immediately running inside, he saw Silo talking with Jack, the raven-haired boy smiling and blushing, his hand covered by the other boy's. The blond felt himself melt at the cute scene before him.

"Silo!" he called.

The crow turned and saw his father by the door. He looked at Jack and his blush deepened as the brunette brushed his lips against his cheek in good-bye. Smiling and standing up, Silo grabbed his bag, "Bye," he said softly and ran to Naruto, his smile bright and strong.

"I'm guessing it went well?" Naruto asked, grinning. The both of them went outside and got into Naruto's car, Silo's smile never wavering.

"He said he liked me, too," the crow whispered, cheeks still dusted pink, "a-and he kissed me on the cheek, Chichiue..."

Naruto smiled and drove out of the parking lot, "Sounds like I'm going to be seeing a lot more of him in the future. You should invite him over for dinner."

Silo blinked, "Chichiue... we're only five, not sixteen."

Laughing out loud, Naruto nodded as he stopped at a red light, "So true. But you're growing up so fast... It seems like just yesterday you were crying in my arms, wrapped in a baby blue blanket, no hair on your head whatsoever," he grinned at the memory, "and tomorrow you'll be married with some nice gentleman," he sighed, _Damn, I thought it was only the mothers who said crap like that._

Silo giggled, "Chichiue, tomorrow I'll still be five."

"Yeah, I know..."

xXxXx

Walking up the stairs to their apartmert, Naruto and Silo talked about random things, ranging from what they were going to have for dinner to why they thought millipedes had all those little legs. As they entered the second story hallway, Naruto saw their landlord standing outside of their door, putting a piece of paper on it.

"Chiyose-san?" he asked, approaching her, "what's that?"

"Everyone's rent is going up and extra $300," the old woman said, her voice raspy from years of smoking. Her gray hair was tied up in a messy bun and her slanted eyes were a dirty brown, "I need the money in order to keep the building. Some big business wants to buy the land."

Naruto's eyes widened, "$300?.!," he screeched, "you're kidding, right?.! What I'm paying now is all I can afford!"

"I'm sorry, kid, but you either pay up or move out," she snapped and shuffled to the stairs, intending to go upstairs to put a notice on everyone elses doors, as well. When she was gone, Silo looked up at his dad, seeing his usually happy blue eyes tainted with anger.

"Ch-Chichiue?"

"That's a bunch of shit!" he cursed, kicking the wall harshly, "how am I supposed to pay the rent now?.!" he growled and pulled the apartment key out, unlocking the door. Silo followed him inside, but kept his distance, knowing that they'd probably have to move out. It happened to them before, but he'd thought that his father's job could pay the rent now and that wouldn't happen.

"Are we... going to move again?" the crow asked quietly, Naruto seething in the kitchen as he pulled out two cups of ramen.

Swallowing his rage, Naruto answered, "I don't know. I-I can't really ask for another raise..."

Silo sat down at their table and looked down, "It's ok if we have to... I understand," he blinked when he was hugged by Naruto.

"You're so mature," the blond laughed bitterly, "of course, living a life like the one you have can make you grow up a lot faster," he let go when the phone began to ring and went to answer it. He picked it up and pressed the talk button, "Yeah?"

_"Naruto-san, it's Sai. I wanted to know if I could come over for a while."_

"About that," Naruto practically growled, "that's not such a good idea. I'm going to start packing right now."

_"Packing...?"_

"The frickin' rent went up a few hundred bucks and I can't pay that much," he sighed, running his fingers through thick, blond locks, "so I suppose I'm going to have to start packing soon... Do you think you could help me look for another apartment?"

_"Of course, but you should know that you two are always welcome to stay with me,"_ Sai's voice was filled with worry.

Naruto smiled, "I know. You're the best, Sai, but I don't want to take up any space in your house. Just help me look for a place around here, ok?"

_"Alright. But I'm coming over,"_ then he hung up.

Putting the phone down, Naruto turned, watching as Silo came out of his room, Kohi in his arms. The little crow tried to smile, "W-we can take Kohi back and get the money for this month's rent...?"

Bending down and ruffling his son's hair, Naruto smiled, "No. You love Kohi."

"But I love you too, Chichiue. You like this apartment... I want you to stay here," Silo weakly argued.

Naruto pulled him into a hug and whispered, "I love you more. I want you to keep Kohi. We'll just look for another place, a better one."

Silo nodded and hugged back. He looked over his father's shoulder when the front door opened, Sai stepping in. The male was wearing a thick coat and boots, a white scarf around his neck.

"Naruto-san, I can help pay your rent if you want," was the first thing he said as he walked in.

Standing up, Naruto smiled, "Thanks, but you have bills to pay, your own rent to keep up with. I'll just find a cheaper place. It'll be fine."

Silo hugged Kohi against his chest, the snow white rabbit's nose twitching. She made no move to jump out of his arms, loving the warmth, "Ro-chan..." he greeted, despite the situation.

Sai lifted the small boy into his arms, careful of the bunny in his grip. He'd always been like another father to Silo, taking him places when he wasn't at work or busy, giving Naruto time to rest. Being a single father took a lot out of him sometimes. And knowing that Silo loved him so much... it made Sai believe that maybe that'd give him a chance with Naruto...

"You know, I don't want to be here right now," the blond said suddenly, "just sitting in here is pissing me off," he explained, walking towards the door. He then gave them a small grin, "how about we head over to see dear ol' Teme?"

Silo smiled brightly, "I want to see Uchiha-san!"

Sai just shrugged, feeling a bit jealous that Silo was starting to like Sasuke.

xXxXx

Kiba took off his muddy boots and tossed them onto the back porch, raking his hands through his hair, brushing dirt out. He'd been out working in the fields and needed a rest. It was getting late anyway, so he'd decided to just head in for the day. Stepping in through the back doors, he saw Sasuke taking a nap on the couch and he guessed Itachi was still upstairs with Tobi. Only God knew what the hell they were up too, but Kiba already knew it was nothing sexual. Itachi wasn't really a ... touchy kind of person.

Heading to the kitchen for a cup of lemonade, his opened the fridge, but not before loud knocking echoed throughout the home. He cursed under his breath and headed towards the front door, opening it, "What the fuck do you... want?" he blinked at Naruto, Sai, and Silo, "um, fox boy? What're you doin' here?"

"We came to see Uchiha-san!" Silo chirped happily, too elated to think about their apartment problem. He ran inside and looked around, spotting the male sleeping on the couch, his silky bangs brushing against his neck, lashes caressing pale cheeks. He silently moved over to him and bent down, placing a hand on his arm, "Uchiha-san?"

Naruto and Sai stepped in, after Kiba finally moved ut of the way. The brunette mumbled something about Sasuke gaining fanboys and he went back to his task of getting a drink to quench his thirst.

"Yo, Teme!" Naruto called, effectively waking the raven from his beauty sleep. He went over to the couch and sat down on Sasuke's stomach, grinning. He was still in a pretty bad mood, but for some reason, being around the actor made him feel a bit better. Plus, even though Sasuke was a bastard, he could always lighten the mood with his rude remarks or surprisingly sweet and supportive words.

Eyes snapping open, Sasuke glared at the blond, "What are you doing here, Dobe?" he snapped. He turned to see Silo and Sai beside him. The little crow was smiling while the other raven just had a light smirk on his face, similar to his own.

"I can't pay the rent to my apartment, and--"

"Let me guess, you want money?" Sasuke kept himself from rolling his eyes. He should've known from the very beginning that the blond was like everyone else. He only wanted his money.

Itachi watched from the stairs, his interest piqued. He guessed that the loud and bold blond was Uzumaki Naruto, and he smirked when he thought Naruto was going to ask for money. But he was surprised when after Sasuke cut him off, the blond scowled.

"No, I don't want your money, Ass hole, I want you to help me find a new place. Jeez, you think I'm your friend because I want your money?" he remained sitting on Sasuke stomach, his arms crossed.

"No," Sasuke apologized, "I'm just used to people asking me for money."

Naruto snorted, "Well, I don't need it... Actually, I do, but I'm not taking it. Let's just all sit down at the table and look for a place in the newspapers," he grinned.

"Naruto-san," Sai interrupted, "if I would've known we came over here for this, I would've--"

"Come on, Sai!" Naruto jumped off of Sasuke and draped himself over his friend, "I'd appreciate it if you stayed and helped us. Please?"

Failing to resist those gorgeous blue eyes, Sai huffed, "Alright."

"Good! Everyone, let's start looking! Kiba," he turned to the brunette in the kitchen, "you want to help?"

Kiba raised a brow as he continued to gulp down cup after cup of lemonade. Wiping his mouth, he raised an eyebrow, "Help you find a place, man? Nah, I have better things to do."

Naruto frowned, "Ass hole."

Sasuke sat up, rubbing his sore stomach, and looked up as Itachi came down the steps, Tobi beside him. The elder Uchiha smiled over to the Naruto, who had heard him approach, "You must be Naruto-kun. Very pleased to meet you I'm Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's older brother," he held out his hand, hoping the other man would take it. Sasuke watched as Naruto grinned and shook his hand, the fingers of Itachi's curling around a tan palm.

"Nice to meet you!" the blond said brightly, "you own an acting company, right? The one that Sasuke's a part of?"

"Yes," Itachi smoothly answered.

"It'll be a pleasure to work with you. Oh, um, but you'll be my boss... right?" Naruto laughed nervously.

Itachi felt his lips twitch upwards into a smirk, "Yes, but I treat all of my contracted actors and actresses as equals," he lied.

Sasuke loved his brother, he really did, but sometimes he hated the games Itachi played with himself. Ever since Itachi had became a member of the Akatsuki, he'd changed. He was still a very good brother, smart, handsome, and the perfect company owner... but he'd started playing mind games with himself, trying to entertain himself when alone and bored at work. It became a habit, and almost everything he ever did in life became a game.

And right now, Itachi wanted to see how Naruto worked. He wanted to see if he could learn all of the blond's weaknesses, strengths, pleasures, etc. Hell, Sasuke would stop him, but he knew his brother would never use the information in a negative way. Sure, he's continue to play the game until Naruto either freaked, broke down, or had sex with him. But Sasuke knew that neither of those options would happen. The blond was already too weird to be freaked so easily, he was too strong to break, and he was too straight to submit to Itachi.

"And I thought I told my otouto to invite you over for dinner. Food hasn't even been prepared yet," Itachi smiled handsomely, another part of his game.

Naruto blinked, "Dinner? No, he didn't invite us for dinner... We just came by ourselves. I wanted him to help me find a new place. The rent sort of went sky high," he scratched the back of his head.

Itachi's dark eyes gleamed as he took in that information. Knowing that Naruto had money problems was something to remember, "I see."

Standing up, Sasuke interrupted them, "Naruto, can I speak with you?"

"Huh? Sure," Naruto replied, "Sai, start looking for some places, ok?" his raven-haired friend nodded and took a seat, Silo crawling up to sit on his lap. Kiba sat down at the table as well, but not to help, just to take a nap.

Itachi watched Naruto and Sasuke go up the stairs and he smirked, then turned to Tobi, "I like him," he said, "call Deidara and Sasori. Tell them to spread the name Uzumaki Naruto all over Japan. 'Fresh American actor joins young Uchiha in romance film' is what I want to see in the headlines of the Nippon paper," he smirked.

"Hai," Tobi pulled out his cellphone from his red and black cloak, then walked outside to call two other members of the Akatsuki.

_I already knew the boy could act. If my otouto says he can, then I believe him... I just wanted to see Naruto-kun for myself. I wanted to see if he;d be fun to toy around with... _his smirk widened.

xXxXx

Upstairs, Naruto leaned against the wall.

"What did you want to talk about? You're not about to confess your feelings to me, are you?"

Sasuke chuckled, "Hardly. I just wanted to ask about your housing situation."

Naruto crossed his arms, "Well, the rent suddenly went up. Something about Chiyose-san not having enough money to keep ownership of the building, or whatever. It went up about $300 and there's no way in hell I could pay that much more. I already had trouble paying for the rent at it's previous price," he sighed, "but you know what really pisses me off?"

"What?" Sasuke moved next to him and leaned against the wall, too.

"That she raised the rent right around Christmas," he chuckled bitterly, "one week before Christmas, Sasuke! I wanted this year's to be the best for Silo... but I guess I failed at that mission," he looked down, "I couldn't get him the Playstation 3, and now we don't have a house of our own to live in. I doubt I'll find a place before Christmas..."

"I'll buy you one," Sasuke suddenly interrupted.

Naruto coughed, "Wh-what? Teme, I already told you I don't want your mon--"

"Merry Christmas."

Now blinking, Naruto frowned, "Huh?"

"Merry Christmas, Dobe," Sasuke smirked, "I'm buying you a new place for Christmas, so Merry Christmas."

Falling silent, Naruto's fingers twitched and a wide grin spread across his face and he laughed until he snorted. And no matter what anyone else said, the sound wasn't annoying at all, not to Sasuke.

"Damn, I could never refuse a gift from anyone," his grin widened, "thanks, Sasuke, you don't know how much this means to me and Silo."

Sasuke smiled a bit, "It's no problem. I have millions of dollars, I had to find something to spend it on."

Naruto playfully punched him in the shoulder, "Teme!" he laughed

xXxXx

Downstairs, Itachi had seated himself beside Kiba, across from Sai. Ever since Sasuke and Naruto had gone upstairs, they'd been in a continuous argument about the type of place Naruto should be living in.

"It should be near the ocean," Itachi had snorted rather childishly, his younger personality coming out.

"Naruto-san dislikes places near the sea. He's afraid of hurricanes and such," Sai hissed.

"But with eyes as blue as the sea, one should live by it."

"It's going to be **his** apartment. If he wants one away from the ocean, then it will be away from the ocean."

"But don't you think he would look gorgeous walking along the ocean early in the morning, blond hair--"

"I don't care how hot he looks, he doesn't want a place by the sea!" Sai growled, scaring Silo.

Itachi blinked slowly, long lashes brushing against high cheek bones for a slow instant, "I'm not very fond of you," he said bluntly.

Sai glared at him.

xXxXx

The next morning, Naruto had a bounce in his step as he worked. Customers stared at him oddly, but they didn't say anything. Why would they? They didn't know him. So he continued to work with a large smile, his words friendly as he talked with customers.

"G-G-Good morning, Naruto-kun..." Hinata stuttered her usual greeting when she saw the blond. She blushed cutely when Naruto flashed her a brilliant grin, "y-you seem very h-happy..."

"I am, Hinata!" he picked her up and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, making the girl's face heat up. Her breasts were uncomfortably pressed against Naruto's chest and she struggled a bit, but not much, being the polite person she is.

"N-Naruto-kun, p-p-please put m-me down...!" there was a slight whine in her voice. She was quickly put back down and she tapped her pointer fingers together shyly, her pale eyes staring down at her two feet that were pressed together.

"Sorry," Naruto apologized and laughed sheepishly.

"I-It's quite alright... S-so what h-has made you so happy?" she asked, looking up at him with flushed cheeks.

"My lovely Sasuke, that's what," he chuckled, "can you believe that he bought me a new apartment for Christmas?.! A new apartment!" he waved his arms around.

Hinata smiled beautifully, "H-How nice of him..."

"Oh, by the way, did you see your therapist yesterday?"

The blue-haired girl nodded, her bangs covering her eyes, "H-he said I-I'm getting s-slightly better."

Naruto smiled, "That's good. Pretty soon, you'll lose that stutter, become more confident in yourself, and be the most beautiful woman, Hinata," he said surely.

Hinata blushed prettily and took Naruto's large hand in both of her small ones, a small smile on her pink lips, "Th-thank you so much, Naruto-kun."

Bending down and kissing her on the cheek, Naruto said, "You're welcome."

"Hitting on young girls now, Dobe?"

Naruto straightened up and turned, seeing Sasuke approach his register, two items in his arms. Lube and rubber gloves, just like before. He grinned, "Planning on shoving your fist up some guy's ass, Teme?" he licked his lips enticingly, "why don't you shove it up mine, hmm? I haven't gotten laid in a good while."

Chuckling, Sasuke sat the items down, "They're for Kiba's horses."

That made Hinata blush like crazy and she muttered her good-byes before scurrying away.

Naruto raised a brow, "For... his horses?"

Sasuke glared at him, "It's for medical reasons, Dobe, not--"

"I know, I know," the blond laughed, ringing up the items, "just teasing you. Soooo what kind of place are you getting me? Ocean view?" he joked.

Sasuke played along, "I don't know. One with a big bedroom, so I can put in a large bed," he looked at Naruto with heated eyes, "big enough for you to squirm and thrash around as I pound into your tight ass."

Naruto began choking on his laughter, making his fellow workers look at him like he was nuts, "You're such a fag!" he bagged the groceries and handed them to his friend.

Sasuke smirked and took them, "I'll see you around, Dobe."

"Sasuke-kun!" a high-pitched voice called.

Sakura came running through the clothes section and she came up to them, panting. She fixed her skirt and gave the raven her best smile, a light blush on her cheeks. She seemed more dolled up today than usual, a butterfly clip in her hair, a dress snug on her curvy frame. She swung her hips from side to side, a light blush on her cheeks. She looked up at the actor with blinking emerald eyes. With the way she was acting, Naruto would've though that--

"Sasuke-kun, will you go on a date with me?"

... that Sakura liked him.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, no matter how crappy I thought it was!**

**Next chapter- Sakura's persistence and finding Naruto and Sasuke in a very compromising position, buying more Christmas gifts, Sasuke's talk with Sai, and a camping trip with Jack?**


	10. A New Apartment, A New Crush

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and I probably never will, unless I suddenly become as rich as Bill Gates. Pft, yeah.**

**Yesh, I know, sorry for keeping you waiting, minna! I just got a DS and I've been playing it like crazy XD AND I had to finish up WSBV and a SasuNaru oneshot "Nagare Boshi".**

**Dunno why, but there's a lot of rambling in this chap... not bad rambling, though.**

**Oh! And I want all of you to send me a oneshot plot! E-mail me and give me a pairing, plot, whether or not you want the oneshot to have sex or not, etc... and then I'll type it and post it in my new 100 oneshots fic. ... or you could just give me all that stuff in your reviews :Smiley face:**

**Chapter 10- A New Apartment, A New Crush.**

Dozens of boxes were stacked on top of each other in the living room of a gorgeous townhouse, "fragile" written on each one in messy, lime green sharpie. One box fell from the very top of a stack and, from where he was standing in the kitchen, Naruto winced, the sound of shattering glass ringing through his ears. He turned slowly, away from the cable man, and grimaced at the glass shards lying on the carpet.

The chubby cable man raised a brow, "Ya gonna sign this or what? I ain't got all day, Blondie."

Snapping around and giving the man a glare that could definitely rival Sasuke's, he snatched the tablet from grubby hands and signed, his signature as neat as a woman's. He shoved it against the cable man's chest and went into the living room to clean up the mess. He bent down and placed the box up right, sighing.

"I guess I'll get to installin' your cable, sir," the pudgy worker said rudely, going into the main bedroom first, grabbing a cable box off of the new kitchen table. He passed Silo in the hall and the small kid stuck his tongue out at him, having heard his rude comments all the way from his room.

"Chichiue," he chirped as he walked into the living room, "what're you doing?" he asked, curiously, tipping his head to the side to see what his father was picking up.

"Could you get me the trashcan?" Naruto asked, still picking up small shards of glass, "The box of dishes fell and most of them broke."

"Oh, hold on," the crow looked around the large kitchen and he grabbed the trashcan that was about as large as he was. Struggling to move it to his dad, he almost tripped, his forehead slamming against the tough bin. He whined, but managed to get it into the living room.

Naruto dumped the shards into the bag and he stood up, grabbing the box of destroyed dished and sitting them on the couch, "Those'll just have to go. Hmm, maybe we should go out and buy a new set tonight?"

"Broke something already?" Sasuke asked as he came down the stairs, a pair of Kiba's working clothes on his perfect frame. He'd told the brunette that he didn't have any clothes to work in, so Kiba gave him the same clothes he used for working the fields. A plain white shirt and baggy, ripped jeans. Sasuke made the dirty style hot, though (amazingly enough).

Naruto heaved the box into his arms and beckoned for Silo to open the front door for him. Doing as he was told, the little Uzumaki child pushed open the glass door and scurried out to hold it from behind, giving his father more room to exit, "I didn't do it, they fell on their own, Teme."

"Sure," the raven stretched his sore muscles and cracked the bones in his neck, making a very gross sound that made Silo pout.

"Stop that, it's gross. Cody does it all the time and I hate it," the boy huffed, going to the cage that held his adorable rabbit, Kohi. He unlatched the metal door and pulled the snow shite bunny from her fortress of metal bars, newspaper, and chewed up carrots, "Konnichiwa, Kohi, do you want to see your new home?" he then ran past Sasuke and up the stairs, his conversation with the animal dulling down as he got further up the steps.

Snorting, Sasuke began unpacking another box, silverware and cups in it. Carrying it to the kitchen, he started to put them away. He didn't turn when Naruto came in, the blond going to get another box from the many stacks. He did turn, though, when his friend let out a rather girlish cry. He chuckled and smirked.

"What is it?"

Naruto looked at him with gooey, pleading eyes. Damn, those eyes were the death of sasuke, and everyone knew it.

"A cockroach... in my box of undergarments," Naruto pointed at the open box, silently wishing for Sasuke to be his handsome knight in shining armor who would skewer the insect with his toothpick of doom.

"Yes, and what do you want me to do about it?" Sasuke raised two finely plucked brows. His and Naruto's relationship had become a strange one. At times, they bickered like old women, then they would just glare at each other and not talk, or they would be like uber best friends and walk with their arms around each others shoulders, smiling and chatting like teenage girls. Sometimes, they would even gossip... and for some reason, seeing Sasuke as a fifteen year old girl, gossiping to her friends on a three way line on her brand new cellphone didn't really seem so odd.

Right now, they were going into one of their other types of relationships. The one where Naruto acted like a helpless damsel in distress, Sasuke being his wonderful boyfriend who could just do EVERYTHING right. And everything also included squashing harmless bugs.

"I want you to kill it!" Naruto looked at his friend, ocean blue eyes watering. Yes, just like a woman, he pulled the "but you love me, don't you?" face. It fit him perfectly, even though Naruto looked nothing like a female and definitely had the body of a male. It wasn't just the lump in the front of his pants that proved it, there was also the muscles, curveless figure, and masculine face. Suddenly, images of Naruto in a pink dress entered Sasuke's mind and he tried not to gag.

"You want me to kill it? But it's doing nothing wrong, just roaming around, sniffing your underwear," oh, it was days like these that made people think Sasuke actually had a sense of humor. He didn't really, it was just the fumes of carpet cleaners eating away at his brain. The part of the brain that made him who he was. An actor with an imaginary stick up his ass. Or maybe it was the clarinet Itachi attacked him with when they were little...?

"Ewww," Naruto scrunched his nose up in disgust, "come on, Sasuke, just kill it! I don't want to touch it, it's gross!"

Holding back the urge to roll his eyes, Sasuke went into the living room and pulled the underwear and boxers out of the box, the tiny cockroach falling to the bottom of the cardboard square. He then proceeded to lift the box up, open the front door, then toss the little bugger out. Turning back to Naruto, he handed him the box.

"Thank you!" Naruto said merrily, going back to unpacking.

"Hn," as quick as it came, there relationship shifted from that of a strange couple to that of their usual one.

xXxXx

Sakura huffed and pulled the light pink snow cap further down, trying to protect her poor ears from freezing and breaking off the sides of her head. She trudged through freshly fallen snow and looked at the many townhouses that alligned the streets. Zipping her thick pink coat up as far as it could go, she started to run, wanting nothing more than to find Naruto's new place and mooch a cup of coffee off of him.

_S-s-s-s-stupid me! _ she growled inwardly at herself, _I-I-I should've drove! N-Now I might freze t-to death! _looking through the flurry of snowflakes that fell from the gray and white sky, her emerald eyes shimmered with happiness as she found a townhouse with a number matching the one written on the tiny scrap of paper held tightly between her gloved fingers. Running forward, she reached the door and rang the doorbell twice, her own special way of letting the blond know it was her.

"It's Sakura-chan! Oi, the door's open!" she heard a familiar voice bellow from inside the home. There was a loud yelp, then a crash, followed by a "shit, my manhood!". Blinking, she opened the door after a few moments and peered in, gasping as she saw Sasuke on top of Naruto, his legs pressed against either side of her blond friend's hips, lips dangerously close to Naruto's.

She ran forward, about to yell at Naruto for slipping drugs into Sasuke's drink, but then she noticed the frying pan in Sasuke's hands... the metal right between Naruto's legs. She blushed a bit and turned away.

Sasuke sat back and pulled the pan away, wincing at the high-pitched squeel that errupted from Naruto's throat, "You ran into me, Dobe, so in the future, don't you dare blame your lack of babies on me."

The blond glared up at him through messy bangs and he closed his legs, whining as his poor male organ throbbed (and not in a good way). Shoving Sasuke off, he rolled over, giving Sakura the best smile he could muster while in so much agony. He felt like a girl who had just been punched in the breasts... except the ache was a little further south, "H-hi, Sakura-chan," he whimpered.

Giving him a sympathetic look, Sakura helped him up, holding back a giggle as her friend limped to the couch.

"Don't laugh! It's not funny!" he hissed, flopping down on the sofa with a pained yelp.

Sasuke stood, placing the frying pan back in the box filled with other cooking items, and glanced over at Sakura, wondering why she had come over. He'd rejected her the day before... was she back to ask again? Surely the girl wasn't that stupid.

"Umm, Sasuke-kun...?" Sakura blushed and gazed up at her crush from under cherry blossom pink bangs. Fiddling with an undone thread at the bottom of her jacket, she smiled as cutely as humanly possible.

That smile just about made Sasuke barf.

"Yesterday, I guess you were in a bad mood or something..." she started, completely taking Sasuke's rejection yesterday as if it had something to do what god damn mood he was in. Couldn't she just take no for an answer?

But as Sasuke looked deep into those passionate emerald eyes... he knew he was in for a world full of psychotic bubblegum-haired women and constant confessions of love that would, of course, lead to tears and cries of "but I love you, Sasuke-kun! Why can't you see that? We're perfect for each other!". God help him, he'd rather fuck his brother.

"...so, well, can you reconsider your decision?" her voice was quite, as if afraid of another rejection. But the raven knew that deep down, she was cackling maniacally, holding a whip that read "Sasuke's my bitch", her head thrown back as her howling laughter echoed throughout the empty caverns known as her heart.

He scowled at his own thoughts. What the fuck was wrong with him? He hardly even knew the girl, so why accuse her of being an evil, obsessive fangirl? And he was sure she had a heart... somewhere inside that breastless chest.

"I'm sorry, but I don't like you that way. I hardly even know you," he told the girl, watching as her hopeful smile disappeared. He could see Naruto in the corner of the room, glaring at him like he was Satan's son coming to steal his soul away.

"But you can get to know me!" Sakura reached forward and grabbed his hands with hers, "please?"

The actor's inner self twitched, "Even if I did try to know you, I wouldn't be here in America that much longer. Meaning, our relationship wouldn't work out."

"But we can make it work!" she insisted.

Naruto sat up, despite the groan of disagreement his manhood made. He had glared at Sasuke at first, mad that he was rejecting her again. But why should he be mad at his friend for not feeling the same? Better to reject Sakura than to lead her on. "Sakura-chan, just leave Sasuke-teme alone. He doesn't like you tha--"

"But he has to! I know my love for him is--"

"True? Yeah, you're nineteen and he's your first crush. I doubt it's true love."

"But it's love at first si--"

"Sakura-chan, that whole love at first sight is a load of bull," Naruto crossed his arms, "so just leave Sasuke alone, ok? I'm sure he's tired from helping me unpack all morning, and you're probably just stressing him out."

Sakura frowned, but let Sasuke's hands fall from hers. Going to leave, she pulled something out of her purse and sat it on the table, "I supposed I am stressing you, Sasuke-kun..." she whispered dejectedly. But then she tugged on a smile and said, "so I'll come back later and ask you out again!" then she left, some snow coming inside, melting as it hit the warm, carpeted floor.

Naruto groaned, already knowing that his friend wasn't going to give up so easily, "You know what? Sometimes I wonder why she's even my friend."

"I wonder why she's your friend, too," Sasuke lifted up the item on the table and inspected it. It was a small glass figurine of a dragon, "Hn, a dragon?"

"Ooooh, that used to be Sakura-chan's grandmother's. When I was little, I used to always go over to her house and her grandma would be there, that dragon tucked inside of her purse. She said her husband gave it to her before they got married, that it was some kind of charm that protected her. Romantic, huh?" he wiggled his eyebrows, causing Sasuke to chuckle, "but then she gave it to Sakura-chan right before she died... and I'm guessing Sakura-chan's giving it to me now. Damn, she always knew I wanted it," he got up, the pain between his legs finally subsiding.

"Isn't it important to her? Why would she give it to you?" Sasuke asked, holding the figure up to the light, rays refracting and creating a rainbow of colors on the table.

Naruto shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe I should ask her next time I see her," then their conversation ended and they both sighed, getting back to work.

xXxXx

"I love you, Sai!" Naruto jumped onto his best friend and gave him a bone-crushing hug, a wide grin stretching from ear to ear, "remind me to make out with you as soon I arrive at work tomorrow!" he gave Sai a nip on the ear before taking off like a rocket through the mall, looking around like a rich woman searching for shoes.

Sai had dragged both Naruto and Sasuke to the mall, ignoring his blond friend's whines of "but I don't have any money, Sai!" and "you better get me a smoothie!". After they'd arrived and entered through the entrance of JC Penny's, Sai had handed Naruto a card that was good for any store in the mall. $600 dollars good for **any** store. And Naruto had practically pounced on his friend, thanking him for the early Christmas gift.

Touching the shell of his ear, Sai smiled a bit. As his heart hammered in his chest, he inwardly screamed at it to stop, telling himself that Naruto didn't like him that way, he just didn't mind doing things with Sai because they were close. He didn't mind making out with Sai because they did it when they were younger, when they were both curious, and the blond knew that kissing his best friend was just as common as hugging your younger sister.

Sasuke raised a brow at the scene that just took place in front of him. It's not every day you see a convincingly straight man promise a make-out session with his very gay best friend. That just never happened.

"I thought he was straight," he said before thinking.

"He is..." Sai trailed off, "it's just, he's used to doing those kinds of things with me. We did them all the time when we were younger, both a bit curious about our sexual preferences. I suppose as we grew older, even though I realized I was gay, and after Naruto-san realized he was still straight, kissing and hugging just became a natural thing in our lives. It's like a childen loving rock music, then growing up to still like it, despite what the youth those days listen to. You just can't give up what you're so used to."

Sasuke nodded, understanding, "But I want to know something."

Turning all the way so he could face the Uchiha, Sai gave him a curious expression, "Yes?"

"What are your true feelings for him?"

That sentence slapped Sai in the face and he subconsciously flinched, "What do you mean?"

Sasuke snorted, giving the other raven a knowing look, "You know what I mean. It's a very simple question, Hirota."

Sai couldn't really lie to the Uchiha. He knew the actor could tell if he was lying or not... "I love him," he muttered quietly, "but don't tell Naruto-san. If he finds out, our friendship could be ruined. My bond with him is all I have..."

He'd never really seen unrequited love in real life. Sure, Sasuke had seen it on television, he had played as a man deeply in love with someone who didn't feel the same, but those were movies, those weren't real life...

But standing in front of him was someone who had real feelings. Not false ones made into a movie script, but real ones that could hurt him as much as they could make him happy. And unlike in the movies, if his feelings were rejected, there would be no sappy moment with the man telling the girl that they could still be friends... No, if Sai told Naruto he loved him and was rejected, their relationship would never be the same, no matter what.

"Look what I bought for Silo!" Naruto called from behind them, breaking the tense atmosphere, "I hope you don't mind that I used some of the cash to buy Silo more Christmas presents...?" he laughed nervously.

Sai shook his head and smiled sweetly, "I don't mind at all. It's your money to--."

And Naruto was already gone.

Sai blinked and laughed, despite the bitter mood Sasuke had put him in with the sudden question about his feelings. He turned and told Sasuke to follow him. Together, they walked around, Sai talking about his feelings and when they started, things like that.

And instead of being bored, like he usually was when someone told him their pitiful life story, Sasuke listened intently, curious as to how in the hell Sai could have feelings for the idiot they called a friend. Sure, he was a tad bit attractive, but his whole personality could use a bit of a makeover.

"He has a wonderful personality," Sai told him after he realized he had said that part allowed. Shit, Sasuke needed to quit talking to himself, "how can you say that?"

"He's too loud most of the time," Sasuke stated, "he's too bright, too happy, too... too everything," he stuffed his hands in his coat pockets and sighed, "but for some reason, I still stay with him."

Sai smiled, "Did you ever stop to think that maybe... that maybe you're just too quiet?"

They both stopped walking and Sasuke stared at him, "What?"

"Maybe you're too quiet, maybe you're too dim, and maybe you're too sad," Sai said, "maybe... you're just not used to someone coming into your life and flipping it upside down," he chuckled, "you're not used to something so bright in your dark life, that's why Naruto-san's personality is a bit too much for you. And about you staying with him... I think that maybe you're falling in love with him, as well?"

Sasuke twitched, "I highly doubt it. I'd rather go out with Sakura."

Sai laughed nervously, "A-ah, I see."

"But I suppose you're right... about his personality being too much for me. I guess I'm not really used to people like him just randomly popping into my life."

"But is it really a bad thing?" Sai asked.

Sasuked looked at him, but didn't answer, Naruto coming out of nowhere, showing them more toys he'd bought for Silo.

_No..._

_I don't regret him suddenly shoving himself into my life... _

_Not at all._

xXxXx

"God, I think I'm gonna hurl!" Naruto handed the bags full of Christmas gifts over to Sasuke, and ran to the bathroom, the sound of dissolved food hitting the water. Sasuke scrunched his nose up in disgust and looked over at the sofa to see Hinata sitting there with Silo asleep, next to her, his head on her lap.

Hinata was looking worriedly at the bathroom door, more heaving and vomiting beaing heard, "I-Is Naruto-kun a-alright?" she asked with a polite and quiet voice, not wanting to wake the slumbering child.

"He ate too many hotdogs," Sasuke smirked, amused. Before they had left, Naruto convinced them to let him have something to eat... but then the blond had seen the hotdogs being served at Orange Julius and his eyes had glimmered.

Sai had looked slightly worried and tried to convince Naruto to get something else to eat, but the single parent refused, immediately ordering nine, thick hotdogs to go.

As you can imagine, nine fatty hotdogs being wolfed down in a car while rap music was on... that would, of course, lead to major stomach problems.

Naruto came out of the bathroom, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, "S-sorry," he mumbled and gave a small smile to Hinata, "Thanks for watching Silo, Hinata, it means a lot."

Standing carefully, making sure not to wake Silo, Hinata smiled back shyly, "I-It was no p-problem at all, Naruto-kun. W-well, I should be going n-now. I'll s-see you at work tomorrow," she then bowed to both Naruto and Sasuke before leaving.

"I should be heading back to Kiba's," Sasuke said as he eyed his wrist watch. It was five minutes until nine and he almost felt bad for leaving his brunette friend and manager there at home with Itachi.** Almost**.

Lifting Silo up gently, Naruto got ready to carry him upstairs to his new room, "Ok. Oh, and Sasuke, thanks for giving us this new place," he smiled, "and thanks for putting up with me."

"Putting up with you?"

"Sai told me that I was sort of annoying you lately..." Naruto gave him a lopsided grin.

Holding back a twitch, Sasuke said, "Is that so?"

"Yeah, so I'm sorry if I piss you off at times. But really, thanks for not abandoning me," the blond turned off the living room light, then flipped on the porch light, the artificial glow reaching inside the house, illuminating Sasuke's facial features. He could see the raven's small smile perfectly.

"You don't need to apologize. After all, your annoying personality is just something I'll have to deal with."

He could see Naruto grin, even in the darkness of the room.

_I let you squeeze yourself into my life, so I'll just have to deal with it._

**For some reason, I really really liked this chapter. And sorry for not putting the camping with Jack part in here. It'll be up next chapter. Please review!**

**Next chapter- Camping with Jack, Itachi's departure, news that depresses the entire Naruto gang, a party that actually has NO beer, and Sai's confession.**


	11. Let's Pretend

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**ZOMG Sasuke turned on Orochimaru XD Run! Run and go back to your darling Naruto!**

**Chapter 11- Bittersweet**

**Ah, damn, I lost that lovely humor I had last chapter. But isn't their relationship cute? Sasuke and Naruto's, I mean. They can say these dirty things to each other, even though they don't mean it XD**

It was a beautiful morning.

The sun was up in the sky, melting the snow that had blanketed the city the day before, birds were chirping from their perches on the telephone wires outside, and the sound of the neighbors' kids reached the tan ears of our favorite loud-mouthed blond as he tried to sleep the morning away.

Key word: Tried.

Kicking the covers off of his himself, Naruto sat up, a scowl in place. He glared out the open window and mentally wished for the children to somehow get picked up by a giant hawk and taken away so they could be fed to ugly hawk babies. But no, the kids remained in their yard, squeeling and laughing in delight as melting snowballs were flung at each other.

He scratched the back of his neck and glanced tiredly at the clock by his bedside. It was almost nine in the morning and he should've been at work an hour ago, huh... Wait, what?

"Shit!" he cursed, leaping out of bed and practically flying into the bathroom. He squirted a big glob of orange mint toothpaste on his electric toothbrush and began brushing away, minty foam dripping from his lips and falling into the round sink. He brushed his tongue, gagged, then finished up, immediately running over to turn the shower on, "I'm late! I'm late!" he yelled in frustration.

Downstairs, Silo was happily pouring himself a bowl of cereal. It was Peanut Butter Crunch, a cereal he'd never tasted before. Hinata had brought it over the night before, saying that her little sister didn't like it. Putting the box away and pouring in some milk, he sat down, spoon in hand.

Just before he could take a bite, the doorbell rang and he pouted, staring down at the little puffs of peanut butter that just called for him, beckoning for him to eat them and savor their supposedly real peanut buttery taste. He huffed and left his seat to open the door.

But then he remembered number 3 of the early morning rules that Naruto had established a good two months ago.

Rule #3: If someone comes to the door any earlier than ten, it's probably a salesman. If you are ever in a situation such as this, speak spanish. Salesman get annoyed with people who can't speak english.

Nodding to himself, Silo pretended to be yelling at someone.

"¡Por qué puede no usted hace nada derecho, el mocoso! ¡Sacaré rápidamente el cinturón!"(1)

He blinked when the door opened, Sasuke stepping in. The raven raised a brow and they both stood there in an akwards silence. Sasuke was the first to speak, since Silo was sort of tripping over his own words, a huge blush on his face.

"So... you're going to whip me with a belt?" he chuckled, shutting the door behind him.

"S-sorry, Uchiha-san," he giggled nervously, taking his place back at the table, staring down at his soggy peanut butter puffs in embarrassment. He suddenly remembered something and he turned toward the raven, "Um, Uchiha-san, do you think you could... drive me and Jack somewhere tomorrow...?" he blushed.

Taking off his coat and tossing it onto the couch, Sasuke smirked, "Are you planning a date behind your father's back?"

Shaking his head furiously, Silo stuttered, "N-not at all! I was going to ask him to take us, but... he has work that day..." he gave the older man a smile that held the ol' Uzumaki charm. He may have been cute, sweet, and slightly naive, but he did know how to work people over and get exactly what he wanted. It ran in the family, that's for sure.

Frowning, Sasuke was reminded of how a few days before, Naruto had tossed him that same sweet smile. With that seemingly common gesture, he was able to get two smoothies, four yaoi mangas (... he was straight, wasn't he?), and a back massage from Sasuke... Hell, Sasuke didn't even know how to give a massage.

But at that moment, that same blond's son was tossing him a brilliant smile that made him want to go out and buy him whatever he wanted... just because he was so damn cute. God, he hated liking kids so much. Groaning in frustration, he agreed.

"Ah, arigato!" Silo chirped, finally taking a large bite of his cereal, his eyes lighting up, "mmm sho gugh," he mumbled around the spoon and mouthful of soggy peanut butter puffs.

"Tell me, where do you two want to go?" Sasuke asked and took a seat next to Silo at the table, crossing his arms over the mohagany top. Surely the kids wanted to go see a movie? Get icecream? Or maybe even go out to play a game of laser tag?

"Camping!" the crow said between mouthfuls of brown cereal. When he didn't hear anything from the actor, he looked up, watching in amusement as Sasuke gaped.

Telling himself that Uchiha's didn't gape, Sasuke snapped his jaw shut and cleared his throat, "Camping?"

"Well, I'll be with him and his family..." he blushed a little, "I just need you to take us to the park... um, well, they didn't have room for me in their car, so I told them I'd get a ride from Chichiue... and Jack said he wanted to ride with me," his blush got so red that it looked like it his face was about to burst into flames. That's wasn't a good thing. Naruto'd probably blame Sasuke, "but Chichiue has work, so... I asked you if you could take us."

"Do you plan on telling the dobe?" Sasuke asked, a smirk in place. Ah, the ever famous Uchiha smirk.

Silo nodded, "I'm going to tell him as soon as he comes down," he blinked and scrunched up his nose in though, "which should've been an hour ago."

"Fuck!.!" Naruto ran downstairs, a fishnet shirt on, his loose boxers hanging dangerously low on perfect, smooth hips, and his pants down around his ankles. He stumbled down the steps and hopped into the kitchen, trying to tug his vest on, "I ask for a raise, then I go in late?.! Ero-Sennin's going to kill me!" he groaned loudly and yanked a granola bar out of the cabinet, "Silo, you dressed?.!"

Silo took another bite of his yummy cereal, "Mmm!" he replied while chewing. Beside him, Sasuke stood there with a smirk on his face. Naruto was like a walking, talking, comedy show.

Grabbing his car keys, Naruto came out of the kitchen, bending down to pull his pants up, giving the raven a very good view of his delicious behind.

"Nice ass, Dobe, I suppose you work out?" Sasuke remarked with a smart tone. He chuckled when the tall blond gave an indignified squawk and turned quickly, tumbling backwards, his back hitting the wall. The blue-eyed male sent him a small glare.

"Why is it that gay men are always standing behind me when I'm half naked? Do I give off a gay vibe or something?" he asked, coming back from his state of shock. He tugged up his pants and zipped them up, the top hugging his legs. Not hips, legs. Yes, it seemed Naruto was going for a gangsta style that particular day.

"I'm not gay."

"Uh-huh. Whatever you say, Teme."

Silo watched their interection with interest, leaping off of his chair and carrying his bowl to the sink, his eyes never leaving. After realizing he needed to get his packed lunch out of the fridge, he tore his gaze away from them.

His life had become a lot more interesting since Sasuke had showed up, Armani suits, lacy thongs and all. It was amazing, how could men wear those? He took his lunchbox out of the fridge and picked up his school bag off the cold tiled floor of his new kitchen. Walking out of the kitchen, he caught a drift of Sasuke and Naruto's conversation, and he blinked, a small blush staining his baby cheeks.

"Sooo," the blond was behind the raven, arms around his shoulders, "you think I have a nice ass?"

Sasuke looked over his shoulder and gave his friend a smirk. Dear lord, they were starting their day like that? Sometimes, Silo would get utterly confused when around them. They were schizophrenic or something, because they could go from ripping each other's throats out to flirting like a high school couple. But he knew that his Chichiue had no feelings for the raven-haired actor, and that Sasuke had no feelings for his father... so why?

_"Sometimes, you'll gain a friend that you become very close to. You can joke with them, cry with them, and just do some crazy shit with them," Naruto had laughed, "Sasuke's one of those friends, you know? He's just one of those guys you're comfortable with, no matter what the situation. We joke around and pretend to be a couple in public, just for the hell of it..." he'd smiled then, "it's very rare to find someone like that. Someone who will just toss their dignity into the wind for your happiness," he'd then looked up in thought and tapped his chin, "you know what? If I were gay, I'd totally date him."_

Silo suddenly smiled and listened to their perverted discussion as he slipped on his shoes. Since it was still very icy outside, schools had been cancelled and he was going straight to the center. Straight to Jack.

"I work out every day," Naruto whispered into Sasuke's ear, "so I can work up the strength to fuck you into the mattress," his breath was hot against his friend's ear and he grinned, loving the game they played. It was strange... wasn't Sai his best friend? He should've been whispering dirty little things into the other man's ear, not Sasuke's... but he couldn't help it, "or up against the wall, into the carpet, on the table, in the backseat of my car, in the--"

"Chichiue!" Silo flushed. He hadn't thought his father would take it that far, "my virgin ears!" he whined.

Sasuke pulled himself from his friend's grasp, "You can talk dirty with me later," he smirked, "but right now, let's go."

Suddenly, Naruto blinked, "Wait... why are you even here?"

Both ravens raised their brows.

Sasuke sighed, "There's a foot of snow out there in the parking lot, and you told me once that your car won't drive through snow. That's why I'm here, to give you a ride," he suddenly found himself being shoved out of the house, "what the fu--"

"Then let's go! I'm already late!" Naruto screeched, Silo following behind him. The blond tossed his car keys on the table before he walked out, and let his son go in front of him, shutting the door once they were all outside.

xXxXx

"Where the hell were you, brat?.!" Jiraiya growled as he approached his blond employee. God, he just wanted to punch the kid in the jaw, but his unwanted fatherly love for him prevented him from doing so. Damn him for being such a kind man!

Scratching the back of his neck, Naruto laughed nervously, "You see... I was almost gang raped," he lied easily.

_Out of all the damn excuses... _The Wal-mart owner grumbled inwardly, "Gang raped?" he looked behind the young worker to see Sasuke standing there (not in one of Kiba's ugly outfits!), but in his normal expensive suit. That day it was Friday, so he wore a dark brown... Yes, Sasuke had his days color coordinated. The raven was holding back a massive eye twitch and he gave his little idiot of a son a grin, "that's a damn lie."

Naruto huffed, "It is not! Why would I lie about something like that? It was horrible, Ero-Sennin," he placed his hands on the older man's shoulders and let out a fake sob, "they backed me into a corner and... and-- god! I thought I could take them all on, but there were too many! They held me down and touched me, and licked me... but Sasuke rescued me!" he turned and gave his companion a huge smile.

Sasuke glared, _Now is not the right time to use your acting skills, Dobe._

Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke and his grin changed into a heart warming smile, "You know what? I never properly thanked you," he said, now speaking to Sasuke, the actor trying his best not to punch Naruto in the stomach. The blue-eyed man grabbed onto Sasuke's tie and pulled him forward a bit, "my place, tonight," he whispered, "I'll have you screaming my name," then he licked the poor victim's ear.

"He was gone before you tugged on my tie," Sasuke growled, pulling away and fixing his crumbled tie, "and please don't lick my ear again, I'm starting to feel sick."

"Awww, don't be like that, you know you loved it. You just want me to shove you against a wall and have my dirty way with you," Naruto laughed, the sound lifting the raven's mood. The worker's laughter could do that, as strange as it sounded.

"You're so annoying," he snorted, crossing his arms and making his way over to Naruto's awaiting register.

Naruto smiled widely and followed him behind me, "Yet you haven't left me! I wonder why? Admit it, Uchiha, you're madly in love with me. Ah, but how tragic, I'm straight."

Sasuke smirked, "I don't know how anyone could fall in love with you. You're loud, obnoxious, not very good looking, and you're poor."

Well, that killed Naruto's happy mood. Stabbed, killed, and buried it.

xXxXx

"You know..." Naruto began, taking a seat behind his friend on one of the many benches outside of Wal-mart, "about my new career... Um, are we going to be filming the movie here? Or--"

Sasuke looked over at him, his breath coming out in thick huffs. His usually pale cheeks were a rosy red and he sighed, leaning further back on the bench, "I didn't tell you, did I?"

"Tell me what?"

"We're going to be filming in my brother's studio in Tokyo. I suppose I forgot to mention it."

"Forgot?.! How can you forget something like that?.!" Naruto growled, "do you know how sudden that is?.! What about the place you just moved me into? What about... Shit, what about Silo?.! He has a boy friend, Teme, a boyfriend!"

"I'm sorry, but the filming will be taking place in Japan. If you don't like it, then you can just say so and I'll get a different actor."

"So... I'm that easy to replace, huh? You don't think I'm some spectacular actor... just somewhat better than the others?" Naruto ran his fingers through blond hair, "listen, I don't want to move all the way over there and not be liked."

"You're one of the best actors I've seen," Sasuke interrupted, "and no, you can't be replaced easily. But it's better to have a bad actor than have you unhappy while you're filming, right?"

Naruto looked at him in surprise, then grinned, "See, this is why I like you so much," he stood up, noticing that his break was almost up, "you care. You might act like a complete teme sometimes, but somewhere deep, deep, deep, deep down, you truly care," he chuckled.

"Yes, well, I am human," Sasuke stood and ran his hands over his suit, flattening the annoying wrinkles, "so, are you willing to move or are you going to stay?"

Naruto sighed, "Well, I'd have to talk with Silo about it."

Sasuke nodded.

"Ah, Naruto-san," Sai greeted as he crossed the parking lot. He nodded to Sasuke and smiled a bit, "what are you doing here, Uchiha-san?"

"I haven't nothing better to do, so I'm just wasting my time here," the raven shrugged, but inwardly smirked, knowing what the blond's reaction would be.

"Wasting your time?.!" Naruto yelled.

xXxXx

Silo stared at his father in disbelief as he continued to ramble on in the passenger's side seat in the front of Sasuke's (Kiba's) car. His babbling was nothing new, but somewhere in that string of mindless drabble was something about moving back to Japan. When the car came to a stop at a red light, he yanked himself forward.

"Chichiue!"

Naruto stopped his rambling and sighed in relief, _Thank god he listens to me even when I babble. I didn't have to say it directly, _he turned in his seat and gave his son a nervous smile, "Um, could you think about it?"

Silo looked away from the blue eyes of his father and he frowned, "B-but, why?" he whispered.

"We're going to be filming in Tokyo," Sasuke answered in Naruto's place, "so you two need to move back. If you'd rather stay here and have the dobe give up a once in a lifetime opportunity, then that's your choice."

The blond glared over at his friend, "Nice way to phrase it, asshole."

Silo looked down and pouted, his eyes watering, "But Jack... I wanted to go camping with him..."

Naruto blinked, "What?"

Sasuke spoke, "This morning, he wanted to ask you if he could go camping with Jack this weekend," he looked up in the rear view mirrow at the sulking child, "Silo, if you agree to moving, you'll still be able to go camping with him. I'm sure Naruto would let you, so you can say good-bye to him."

The crow's shoulders began to shake a bit and sniffled, his eyes burning, "How am I going say bye...?" he wiped his eyes, "I just told him I liked him a few days ago..."

Naruto turned in his seat, despite the constricting seatbelt, and placed a warm hand on his son's knee, "If you really want to stay, we'll stay, ok? I don't want you to be miserable the entire time we're there," he gave Silo a sweet smile, which only made the small boy's huff.

"No, we can go... just let me go camping with Jack so I can tell him..."

Naruto smiled, "Thank you. Now, I promise I'll make it up to you, ok? Christmas, remember? I'm buying you a bunch of stuff! Even though we won't be able to celebrate it here with everyone..."

Silo looked up at Naruto with wide, crystal blue eyes, "B-but it's only a week away!"

Sasuke cut in, "You two need to have your personal items packed up within two days. We're going to leave Monday morning."

Naruto sighed, "I want to make you happy, Silo, I really do... and going back to Japan so I can have this job is what's going to do that. I'll be able to buy you whatever you want and It'll be a job where I can spend time with you a lot... you always wanted to come with me to work, haven't you?"

Silo nodded, still looking down at his lap.

"Now you can! Come on, Silo, cheer up! Sasuke'll be there and I know how much you like him!" the blond grinned when his little boy smiled a bit, "and I promise we'll go out together all the time! Just you, me, and him, ok?"

Silo nodded once again and looked up at the rear view mirror, catching a glimpse of Sasuke's small smile before they came to a stop in the parking lot.

xXxXx

-Sunday-

Sai looked around the room, various people sitting around, chatting, watching the football game on Kiba's flat screen television as beers were passed out. He left his jacket on and walked further into the house, groaning when he saw Itachi sitting at the kitchen table with Tobi, sipping away at a bottle of sake. The raven-haired Uchiha looked his way, but made no attempt of a greeting, making Sai scowl at him.

"Ro-chan!" Silo jumped on him and giggled, "guess what?"

Sai smiled, "What?"

"Jack said that he'd try a long distance relationship!" the crow smiled brightly and hopped off of his god-father, "and I got my first kiss," he blushed at the memory of the camping trip. How Jack held his hand and kissed him softly while they were out by the creek.

Ruffling up the boy's hair, Sai said, "It'll be hard to keep in touch with him. There's a huge time difference from here and Japan. The best you could do is send e-mails."

Silo suddenly pouted, "I know, but..."

"I'm sure it'll work out, though," Sai reassured him, "who wouldn't want to stay in touch with a handsome boy like you?" he gave him a pat on the head before watching the child scurry off to get some chips. He walked into the living room and found Naruto and Sasuke sitting on the couch with Sakura. The pink-haired girl kept sneaking glances at the raven, but Naruto sat between them, not wanting another problem like the other night.

Sai smiled bitterly. Naruto had told everyone the news of him moving back yesterday morning and no one was hurt more than Sai. His best friend was going to leave and who knew when they would see each other again? Well, at the most, it'd be two years since he had to finish college and keep his job until the transfer program was over...

He stepped towards the couch and saw that even though Sakura continued to peek over at Sasuke, she also snuck sad looks at Naruto. Sai knew the girl was upset about her friend leaving. They'd been good friends ever since they were little and they'd never been seperated before.

"Naruto-san, I bought you a parting gift," he spoke and pulled something out of his jacket pocket.

The blond turned away from the television and looked down at Sai's hand, "That's how you greet me? By telling me you have gifts?" he grinned, "not that I'm complaining!" he crawled over the couch and wrapped his arms around Sai's shoulders, giving him a soft but deep kiss on the lips.

The room went quiet.

Naruto pulled away with an audible "smack" and grinned, plucking the gift from Sai's hands. The raven was too stunned to do anything, his cheeks a dull pink. He licked his lips and looked down, watching Naruto open the small gift.

"... Sai, I love you!.!" the blond hollered, latching himself back onto the dazed male. He held up a set of keys that, Naruto knew, belonged to a motorcycle.

Hinata smiled shyly from her spot on the second sofa, knowing very well that Sai was in love with the blond worker. She'd known since she had met them a few years back, "H-How sweet of you S-Sai-kun," he whispered loud enough for him to hear.

"How the fuck did you get the money?.!" Naruto asked, still fairly ecxited and happy.

Sai smiled, still a bit dazed from the kiss. They would kiss all the time. Pecks here, some tongue there... it was just the way their friendship worked... but this time, the kiss made him hurt. Naruto was going to leave him and he was too afraid to tell the blond his feelings...

"I'd already been saving up money from work so I could get it for your birthday, but when you told me you were leaving... I used the rest of my paycheck to buy it," Sai replied, catching the look Sasuke sent him. He knew what those eyes were saying.

_Tell him._

"Um, Naruto-san? Do you think I could talk to you alone for a second?" he asked hesitently. It would be better to tell him now than not to and never know the results...

Naruto nodded dumbly, still staring at the motorcycle keys with sparkling eyes, "Anything for you, Sai," he said with an overly happy voice as he followed his best friend down the hall.

Sasuke watched them leave, but quickly turned back when Sakura poked his knee.

He groaned in frustration.

xXxXx

Sai looked around as they began going up the creaky steps, family pictures and such hanging on the walls, and a table covered with various old war relics sitting in front of them as they reached the second floor. He turned to Naruto, smiling a bit as the worker fiddled around with the keys, mumbling to himself about how great it would feel to have the wind blowing through his hair.

"Naruto-san, I..." he licked his dry lips when blue eyes settled on him. He'd always been so cocky and brave... but when it came to Naruto, he turned in a frightened child, "I never wanted to tell you this because I knew it wouldn't do me any good... but you're leaving tomorrow, so I think it would be good for me to just say it... It's better to know how you feel now than to not know at all."

"How I... feel?"

Sai swallowed thickly and the sweet voice of rejection whispered in his ear, "Naruto-san, I-- I really like you. No, I love you... I have ever since your 14th birthday," he laughed bitterly, "ever since we began fooling around, began testing our sexuality..."

Cerulean eyes widened and the only sound around them was Sai's beating heart and the motorcycle keys falling from Naruto's tan hands. The blond opened his mouth to speak.

"Sai... you..."

"I never wanted to fall for you. A few months after we started experimenting, you told me you were straight... so right then, I knew I never had a chance. There would be no chasing after you and expressing my hopeless love... and there was no chance of me converting you. I had known then that that would be impossible, so I just kept quiet, thinking that someday I'd be brave enough to tell you, brave enough to take your rejection..."

Naruto kept quiet, honestly confused about how to reply to his best friend.

"But even though I'm scared right now, even though I know that you'll hate me and will never welcome me back into your life once I come back to Japan... I have to tell you my feelings," he placed his palm on his chest, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart, "or else I might fall apart while you're gone."

Naruto took a step forward and Sai flinched.

"I love you so much," the blond whispered as he pulled Sai into a hug.

Black eyes closed as they began to burn. Sai knew that tone of voice wasn't a good sign... "But not the way I want you to," he gripped onto the back of his taller friend's shirt and pressed his forehead against form shoulder.

"I don't... I don't like guys. I'm so sorry if I led you on with the kisses... I just thought--I just thought that was how we were," Naruto whispered, feeling terrible, "and fuck, how could you think I wouldn't welcome you back into my life? Hell Sai, you don't plan on leaving me, do you?"

Sai laughed a bit, despite the painful ache in his chest, "Never."

"Good, because I wouldn't let you leave anyway," the blond gave him a small grin and bent down to pick up the fallen keys. He put them in his pocket and pet an arm around the raven's shoulder, "But you know what? I'm glad you told me you felt that way. Now I know not to give you anymore kisses. Che, they probably make your horny," he teased, the mood become lighter.

Sai gave him a fake and very girly pout, "That's not fair. At least one more before you leave?" his pout changed into a pained smile.

Naruto sighed, knowing he couldn't say no. After all... he broke his best friend's heart. Placing his hand under Sai's chin, he bent down, planting his lips on waiting ones. The kiss was deep and Sai let his eyes slide shut. He could at least pretend Naruto loved him, just once.

**Sorry, I'm going to make Itachi leave with them... and god, I couldn't type up a full out party :Groans: cuz my head hurts sooooo bad right now.**


	12. A New Home

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**How many of you are going to Otakon? Wanna meet up somewhere? XD I'm gonna be Sai! And any Naruto's and Sasuke's that wanna have a threesome, w00t! ... j/k ... I'm not a naughty girl u.u**

**Hidan's OOC... but I wanted him to be like that. He needed more of an eccentric personality.**

**Sorry it's short. I'll make up for it next chap... Check out my manga site at SmackJeeve's! It's called Prayer!**

Hinata was the first to cry, tears silently sliding down her cheeks as she was hugged by an equally sad Lee. She, being very attached to Naruto, had bit her bottom lip as she watched him toss his large suitcases full of valuable items onto the airport's luggage belt, Silo by his side, holding his chichiue's hand. She had tried hard not to cry, but being as weak as she was, she couldn't help herself.

"Don't cry, Hinata!" Naruto waved his arms around frantically, "I-I'll come back and visit, I promise! And I'll call you every day!"

The blue-haired girl nodded, but her tears didn't stop flowing, the salty liquid dripping from her chin and hitting her feathery coat, "I-I hope you ca-can be happy b-back in Japan," she whispered shakily.

Sasuke stood away from the group, a cellphone to his ear, his special Armani glasses on. He spoke in Japanese so no one around him could hear, and he cringed away when a loud booming voice yelled over the phone, _"I miss you Weasel-san! Remember, when you come back we gotta have sex!"_

That was Shungiku Hidan, a member of Akatsuki, alongside Itachi. Of course, it wasn't Sasuke he wanted to have sex with, but his older brother, Itachi, who was standing two feet away, picking at a green salad smothered in vinegarette (Tobi had left the night before). The elder Uchiha raised a brow behind a matching pair of Armani glasses and he placed a few dripping lettuce leaves into his mouth, his pink tongue slipping out between luscious lips to wipe the vinegarette away.

Sasuke twitched at the site, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't yell into the speaker. Next time you do that, I'll fire you, understand?" he growled.

Itachi stepped in, "You can't fire him, he works for me."

"But he's **my **driver," Sasuke added.

"If you fire him, I'll defile Naruto-kun," the weasel took another large bite of salad and munched on the leaves almost thoughtfully, "hm, this is pretty good. I should buy another one before we board the plane," then he walked away, completely ignoring the scowl on his otouto's face.

_Fuck, I hate him, _the raven hissed mentally, going back to his conversation with Hidan, "listen, have the car there by ten tonight. We should be there by then," there was a silence, then Sasuke snapped his phone shut when Hidan began mumbling about how he missed the feeling of Itachi's skin on his-- "Why can't I have normal, well-behaved workers?" he asked in annoyance.

He glanced over to see Lee giving Naruto a speech about the spirit of youth, Hinata still crying, Sakura biting her bottom lip, and Sai just staring off into space, as if purposely trying to ignore everything around him. To him, it did in fact seem like everything was moving too quickly. It was just the other day that he'd heard Naruto make the decision to move. And now, he was leaving his good friends.

"I'll miss you," Sakura whispered as she hugged her blond friend, "promise me you'll call? Or text message? Or something?" she smiled.

"Every day! It's a promise!" he kissed her on the cheek softly before doing the same to Hinata. He gave Lee a very manly pat on the back, then turned to look at Sai, the other male not looking his way, his cobalt eyes downcast, "Oi, Sai, I don't get a good-bye kiss?" he grinned, hoping to see a smile light up his best friend's face.

Sai let himself look at his best friend and first crush, his lips twitching upwards a bit, "What's the point?"

Naruto blinked, then frowned, "We always kiss before I leave to go somewhere! It's our tradition, asshole!" he then shoved Sai backwards against the large pillar inside of the airport, causing Hinata to yelp in surprise, Lee to cover his eyes, and Sakura to blush, just a bit. Deep, deep, deep down she was a yaoi fangirl. As is every other female in the world.

Sai averted his eyes, "Naruto-san, I--"

"Don't get shy on me now, I want a kiss!" Naruto grinned, oblivious to the odd stare Sasuke was giving him. He swooped down and took his best friend's lips into a heated kiss. Behind them, Sasuke swore he could see a tongue. Sucking on Sai's lower lip, Naruto bit down and pulled away with a tiumphant smirk.

Sai laughed and licked his lips, "I love you, Naruto-san," he whispered so no one else could hear.

Naruto ruffled the other male's hair and smiled, "I love you, too, asshole. Keep yourself healthy and find yourself a good man, ok? For me?"

Sai nodded hesitently.

"And get one of those new womb implants that guys can get. I want little nephews and nieces. Little butt babies," he grinned.

Sai sputtered, "E-excuse me?"

Sasuke sort of felt bad for the other raven. He wouldn't admit it, but unrequited love was one of those things that bothered him to no end... And it bothered him for a very good reason. A very personal reason. He clenched his fists as he saw the pained look on Sai's face, feeling his own heart thump, as if reliving a memory of himself.

_A young raven-haired, fourteen-year old ran through the practically empty streets, chasing after a car, his heart beating fast, tears mixed in with the falling rain. His legs wanted to give out, but he kept his fast pace, not wanting to lose sight of the vehicle._

_The light ahead turned red, but the car didn't stop speeding, and the boy felt his chest clench. Fear consumed him and his feet abruptly stopped, causing him to skid a bit. His breath came out in foggy huffs and as the car reached the stop-light, his throat constricted._

_"Stop..." he whispered._

_The car continued on its way towards the light._

_He began shaking, then took a step forward, "Stop!" he yelled, but the loud honking of a horn cut off whatever else he was going to say. A truck slammed into the car and sent it overturning a good four times before it came to stop. It didn't even look like a car anymore and oil was spilling onto the streets, as well as a red liquid._

_The teenager's eyes widened and he ran forward, more tears staining his cheeks._

_"Sanji-sensei!"_

Sasuke was snapped out of his memory when Silo tugged on his hand. He looked down and saw the small boy with a kitty hat on, stubby ears sticking up. He'd bought it for the child at one of the many gift shops in the entrance to the airport. Smiling a bit, he said, "Yes?"

"Everyone's left and Chichiue's having trouble finding our terminal," he pointed to the tall blond who was looking around with a confused expression. Itachi was standing beside him, eating another salad, offering no help whatsoever.

Sasuke chuckled and wrapped his fingers around Silo's tiny hand, leading him to the idiotic man he called his friend, "Dobe, we don't need to wait in a terminal."

"Why?" Naruto asked, curious.

"Our plane's here," he turned Naruto towards the large glass windows that seemed to make up the entire wall behind them. The huge plane rolled up, "Nippon Flights" printed on the side.

"...Smartass," Naruto growled, taking Silo's other hand.

Looking from one hand to the other, Silo smiled. He had his beloved Chichiue holding one, and a man he respected very much holding the other. And he knew that both Naruto and Sasuke were very close, so to him, it felt like he had both parents with him again...

xXxXx

A man with stunningly gorgeous violet eyes and silver, slicked-back hair stood in the Tokyo Airport, his arms high up, fingers gripping a large cardboard sign that read: Weasel-san! Your chariot awaits you!

He had a large grin on his face, much similar to Naruto's but with less of a glimmer. He wore the same wardrobe as Itachi and Tobi, the black, red, and white cloak loose on his frame, his creamy chest exposed. Blinking when he saw a plane arrive, he ran past a bunch of chattering people and awaited the entrance of his best friend and long time bed mate. Not lovers... bed mates.

"Weasel-san!" he chirped when people entered, Itachi being the first, his shades still on.

"Hidan," the older Uchiha greeted with a warmer than usual tone. He didn't resist when the silver-haired driver leaped on him and gave him a wet smack on the cheek. He smirked, and straightened Hidan's collar, "Deidara chose not to come?"

Hidan nodded and looked over his friend's shoulder, "He and Sasori were getting rid of some newbie at Orochimaru's company," he grinned slyly, "soooo, where's Sasu-chan's lead actor?"

"Good ol' Japanese oxygen! You can't beat it!" Naruto laughed as he, Silo, and Sasuke entered, all of their hands still linked. Silo had insisted they keep it that way, content with the warm feeling that bubbled in his chest. It was the feeling of having a complete family.

Hidan raised a brow, "He has a kid? Man, that alone is going to make him just as popular as Sasuke, don't you think? Girls dig a single father," he laughed and ran to greet the blond, "Yo! My name's Shungiku Hidan, and you must be Uzumaki Naruto!" he held out his hand, "I'm Weasel-san's best friend, bed mate, and partner in crime!" he struck a pose.

Naruto blinked, then shook his hand with a wide smile, "Nice to meet you. This is my son Silo," he pushed the little crow forward a bit and the boy bit back a yelp. Silo slowly blinked thick lashes and took Hidan's offered hand, his small palm pressing against the large one.

"Hi there, kiddo! You know, Itachi and I were thinking about adopting," Hidan snickered when he heard an annoyed "hn" behind him, "so maybe you could have a little playmate. There aren't really any kids on the set-- Oh, wait!" he turned to Itachi, "doesn't Kakashi have one?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "He only comes to the building with him every day," he growled.

Hidan laughed nervously, "Yes, well, I don't pay attention to small details," he waved it off, "By the way, where is ol' Scarecrow?"

Sasuke crossed his arms, keeping a look out for any possibility of fangirls or fanboys, "He came back to Tokyo two days ago. Didn't he contact you?"

Itachi cut him off, "He said he was going to take Haruka to Hokkaido for a while, to visit his mother."

Naruto turned to Sasuke in confusion, "Haruka?"

The raven knew he'd have to tell Naruto. The child was kept a secret from the public because of the scandal it would've brought to the papers, but Kakashi did indeed have a child. A young boy named Haruka.

"He's Kakashi's seven-year old son. Just remember not to mention him during interviews or in public."

Naruto nodded.

"So!" Hidan interrupted, "I think we should get going!" he grinned, "I'm starving, my head hurts, and I still need to show you your new place. I think you'll like Kinpatsu-cha! It's HUGE!"

"Kinpatsu-cha...?"

Itachi snorted, "Don't mind his humorless nicknames."

Hidan rubbed up against the taller Uchiha and purred, "Oh, you know you like my silly nicknames, Weasel-san," he huffed when he was pushed away, "Hm, well, let's get going. I left the limo on so it could heat up. It's fuckin' cold out!" he yanked his arms into the sleeves and crossed them inside, over his chest, not wanting to freeze his poor little fingers.

"You left it on?" Sasuke asked, incredulous, "someone could've stolen it."

"Maa, I doubt it. That car has three alarms. One that shocks whoever touches it that's NOT me, one that sets off a loud ass siren, and then another that vibrates the keys in my pocket," he snickered, "kinky as shit, right?"

Naruto laughed, already liking the guy.

Sasuke groaned beside them.

xXxXx

The black limo drove up the gravel hill, a house coming into view from behind a large mass of mangroves, their roots jutting up out of the ground on the sides of the road. Hidan purposely drove over one of them and Silo buried himself into his father's chest, whining. The silver-haired man laughed and parked the car just outside of a large garage.

The home, itself, was enormous. It was a light peach color and it reminded Naruto of one of those nifty beach houses on MTV Cribs. There was a pool in the back that you could just barely see from the front yard and there were large trees everywhere, moss hanging from them, some scattered in the green yard.

Naruto grinned, "We're seriously living here? It's huge!"

"Yep, that's what I told you," Hidan commented while pulling out a pair of keys and handing them to the excited blond, "here you go, Kinpatsu-cha. The place's all yours."

The newbie actor motioned for Silo to move in front of him and he gave the child the key with a smile, "You do it, ok?"

Silo nodded eagerly and put the key into the clean door knob, pushing the door open and gaping. The inside was--was--

"I've always dreamt of having a house I could get lost in!" Naruto ran past Silo, laughing his ass off as he searched around. Sasuke came up behind the small crow and lifted him up, setting him on his shoulders.

"Let's follow him, hm? Don't want him to get lost," he smirked and Silo giggled cutely as they trailed after the blond.

Itachi looked over at his best friend with gleaming eyes. He'd noticed that Hidan was a tad bit more cheerful than usual. Of course, it could just be because he'd missed him, but Itachi had gone on long trips many times and Hidan had never acted any differently when they met up in the airport. Something must've happened.

_"He and Sasori were getting rid of some newbie at Orochimaru's company."_

The raven turned toward Hidan (who was inspecting some naked angel statue near the kitchen) and touched the man's shoulder. The other Akatsuki member craned his neck and blinked violet eyes, "What is it?" he asked, a bit calmer than before.

"In the airport, you had said that Deidara and Sasori were getting rid of someone at Orochimaru's company. Did that snake make a move not planned?" he asked, his tone serious.

Hidan gave him a reassuring smile, "Don't worry about it, Weasel-san, you know we won't let your company sink. No need to worry about what Orochimaru does, huh?" he grinned, the same toothy grin that attracted Itachi.

"Yes, but I want to know what he did," Itachi pressed on.

"Oh, you know, same as always," Hidan waved his hand absently, "paying little sluts to come into our company and try to get information," he snickered, "man, doesn't he know most of the higher ups are gay? WELL, like I was saying, he sent in some chick and she pretended to be someone wanting to get a job in the acting business. Deidara played along for a bit, but when the girl tried to put the moves on him, he slammed her against the wall and pulled out a gun," he grinned, "I'm sure that she's been put into a brothel already."

Itachi scrunched his nose up in distaste, "I despise women. They think they can seduce any man with their hideous bodies."

"Weasel-san, why can't we just kill Orochimaru?" Hidan asked, "it'd be a lot easier than just getting rid of the tramps he sends out. Shoot the bastard in the head and get rid of the body. Lead evidence to someone in his company, or something."

"To the public, his company and mine are seen as rivals. If he were to suddenly die, then everything would lead to us. As everyone in Japan knows, people in the acting business will kill to get just about anything," he smirked and watched as Silo ran around in the large living room with his blond father, the two of them trying to convince Sasuke to play hide and go seek with them.

"I'm sick of just dealing with his puppets," Hidan scratched the back of his neck, "Hn, well, I guess I'll just have to wait until he makes his move first, eh?" he grinned and fingered the gun in the pocket inside of his cloak.

Itachi nodded slowly, "But you already know not to do anything stupid. If you do and get yourself killed, your body's going into a kiln. I won't dirty my hands digging a grave for a reckless fool."

Hidan laughed, "Yeah, yeah, I know. Nothing reckless. But I'm sure you'd dig a grave for me, even if I did do something stupid."

"Hn."

"Awww, you would, wouldn't you?"

"..."

"Admit it, you love me!" the silver-haired driver waltzed around the other Akatsuki member, swinging his hips like an idiot, "say it! Say you love me! Say 'Oh great Shungiku-sama! I bow down to you and kiss the ground you walk on! Oh merciful-- GAH!"

Itachi retracted his fist from the male's stomach and shook it, his knuckles sore.

"D-Damn, I knew I sh-should've kept m-my mouth shut..." Hidan held his stomach and whined.

What great friends those two were.

**Sorry it was so short. I'll make up for it!**


	13. Not the Healthiest of Relationships

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Ok, this is my longest chapter ever! I told you I'd make up for the previous chap! And for those of you who sent me oneshot plots and stuff, and for those three of you contest winners, the oneshots will be out as soon as possible. I've been, as crazy as this sounds, stumped.**

**This story is dedicated to Weelittleboots a.k.a. Xaayp. Also known as my Xa Oppa:Hearts: He is my sunshine on a cloudy day! I love you, Xa Oppa!**

Silo sat in the very center of the living room, watching Kohi as the bunny hopped around, sniffing everywhere, dropping a few "presents" every once and a while on the newspapers scattered about. He'd finally gotten to see his pet again after an entire week of being without her. Kakashi had taken the animal with him on his flight back to Japan, and had kept him until Naruto'd settled in.

Behind him, lying on the snow white sofa, was Naruto. The grown male yawned loudly and stretched, a sliver of tan stomach appearing under his snug, baby blue sweater. Scratching the revealed skin with stubby nails, he continued flipping through the channels, not finding anything on worth his time.

"Silo, could you go fetch me some pocky?" he asked, lazily rubbing his sore hip. He'd been moving new furniture into the home from morning to night the day before, and he felt like his entire body was just one big bruise, "make it strawberry. The chocolate kind leaves a weird aftertaste in my mouth."

Twisting around so he could face the adult, the crow scrunched his nose up and continued playing with his pet, "I'm not your maid."

"...Dear lord, you're turning into Sasuke!" Naruto whined, "what happened to the sweet little boy I raised?"

Silo suddenly pouted and stood up, making his way to the kitchen, failing to notice the large grin plastered on his father's face. Oh, how the man loved to torment his son.

_"I'm a dobe."_

The fresh actor blinked, looking around, lips in a tight line, "What the--?"

_"I like it up the ass."_

Brows twitching, he reached over and snatched his brand new cell phone off of the marble lamp table beside the couch. Sasuke had given it to him yesterday, saying that it was a company phone and he needed it. Eyeing the contraption, he flipped it open, "Hello?" he growled.

_"How do you like your ringtone?" _Naruto could practically hear Sasuke's smirk on the other end, causing a corner of his lips to twitch downwards. But instead of acting upon his bitterness, he struck back, in a friendly way of course; the Uzumaki way.

"Why don't you suck my cock, Uchiha?"

Yes, of course, friendly.

Sasuke chuckled, then there was the sound of a door opening, and a voice in the background that was most definitely Itachi's. Naruto snickered as he heard the weasel say something about him wanting his little brother to go elsewhere if he wanted to have phone sex. Apparently, he heard Naruto's comment over the phone.

There was a few noises that sounded much like books being thrown at something, then Sasuke's voice was heard again, "Sorry."

"Ah, no prob. Sooo, what did you want to chat about? I highly doubt you want to have phone sex. Oh, maybe you want to go out and search around for some chicks?" he grinned and snorted into the phone.

There was a stretched silence, and Naruto began to worry.

"Oi, Teme?"

"You want to go pick up a prostitute?"

Blue eyes widened comically and Naruto tried not to drop his cell phone, "WHAT?.!.?.! No, dumbass, I meant going out to look for girls! Normal girls who don't sell their bodies!" honestly, was his raven friend that clueless?

_Wait... he's never really spoke about girls. Maybe he **does** like guys!_

"Or, you know, we could go to a gay bar. I went once with Sai and had to save him from getting raped. You know, he's quite the catch and--"

"Can we please change the topic? I don't really want to talk about gay bars. I've never been to one and I'd like to keep it that way. Now, on to more important matters. I've made copies of the script for all of the actors in my film. I'm going to drop by soon, so we can go over it."

"Finally, I'll actually know what it's about," Naruto laughed, "do I get to kiss a pretty girl? Like in all the other cool movies?"

"... Something like that."

Naruto furrowed his brows, "What do you mean by that?"

"I'll be over within the next half hour. Make sure you have some food prepared, I'll be there for quite a while," then he hung up, leaving behind a confused blond.

Silo came in with two boxes of large strawberry pocky. He sat them on his father's lap, then picked up Kohi, the bunny having reached the back doors that led out to the pool, "Chichiue, who were you talking to?"

Flipping the phone closed, Naruto sat it down, "Sasuke. He's coming over for a bit tonight, so I think I should make some food. Hmm, I guess I didn't really need this pocky," he grinned, tossing the snacks onto the loveseat.

Silo pouted and huffed.

xXxXx

When Naruto opened the door, Sasuke stood there in a very stylish... red suit?

"What's with the wardrobe? It seems so bright compared to your dreary face and sickly white skin," he teased, letting him in. Along with the strange choice of clothing, the raven had a bag slung over his shoulder, filled with colorful boxes and such.

Ignoring his friend's comment, Sasuke made his way to the living room and saw Silo sitting on the couch, an aura of sadness and annoyance radiating off of him. It was so strong that Sasuke actually flinched, then turned to the seemingly oblivious blond.

"You did tell him that we were having Christmas today, didn't you?" he asked.

Blue eyes bulged out, then Naruto ran upstairs, cursing and kicking at the banister along the steps, hissing when he injured his shoeless feet. Just yesterday, the Uchiha had told him that they were going to give Silo his gifts today, since Christmas had gone by and the boy was probably a tad bit upset he couldn't celebrate it like normal.

Silo looked up from his position on the couch, smiling a bit when he saw Sasuke in the funny looking suit, "Konnichiwa, Uchiha-san," he welcomed him warmly, despite his current mood.

The actor waltzed into the living room and sat down on the soft cushion beside Naruto's son, giving the child a look that consisted mostly of raised brows and glittering black orbs. He put a hand on Silo's head and ruffled the silky hair, a smirk taking over his pink lips, "Are you upset because you missed Christmas?"

Shaking his head, the boy sighed, "I tried to call Jack... to see how his Christmas went, but his mom picked up and started yelling at me... I guess she found out that we were sort of..."

"Dating?" Sasuke sighed as well, "I don't think you should stay in a relationship with him. You're very mature and intelligent for your age, your father raised you well, but you're still too young for something like that. Wait until you're at least thirteen before you even try to date someone."

Silo blinked slowly, "You want me to... break up with him?"

"The only way you can keep in touch with him is on the phone, and if his mother picks up everytime and yells at you, I highly doubt you'll be able to speak to each other. Best to just end it now. He probably already knows it can't work out," Sasuke explained.

The smaller of the two shifted and rested his head on Sasuke's upper arm, a sigh flowing from between chapped lips, "How come I'm not sad?"

Intelligent, indeed. Naruto just didn't know how fast his child was growing up. No five-year old would ask someone why it didn't hurt to let go of someone they thought they loved...

They both heard loud thumps coming from upstairs, then Naruto was seen rushing down the steps, tons of presents on his arms, threatening to spill onto the floor. Silo's eyes widened and he sat up straight, confused. He glanced down at the white bag Sasuke had brought in, wondering if it was filled with presents, too.

"Since we missed Christmas, we're having a little family gathering!" Naruto said between loud pants as he placed the presents on the floor. Sasuke opened his bag and pulled out the large presents and stuck them with Naruto's, eyeing Silo, telling him mentally to start unwrapping.

Holding back a squeel of pure delight, the child leaped off of the sofa and began tearing away colorful wrapping paper, a large smile coming to his face as three yaoi books were presented to him, "Arigato, Uchiha-san!" he hugged the dark-haired man and started unwrapping another gift.

Naruto sat there, mouth agape, "You got him... yaoi manga? Are those eighteen and up, Teme?.!" he threw a ball of crumped up paper at his friend's head and growled, "he's only five! Do you think he'll even understand the positions and words?.! And if he does, he might go out and try it with some other boy!"

Sasuke raised a brow, "Those aren't from me, they're from Sai. He gave them to me for safekeeping until we had our small Christmas."

The blond visibly twitched, _He says he loves me, then he goes against me and buys my child gay porn?.!_

"Wahhhhhhh!.!" Silo held the Playstation 3 in his hands, staring at the picture on the front in amazement. He looked up at his father, "Th-thank you so much, Chichiue... you got me this... and you even spent more for all of these other gifts?"

Naruto stared down at the expensive present and swallowed, "I didn't--"

"He worked and worked to get the money for it," the young Uchiha smirked, "you have a great father, Silo."

The blond met Sasuke's eyes and he smiled, a BIG, beautiful smile that would warm anyone's heart.

When the little Christmas between them had ended, Silo was busying himself with his new Playstation 3 and Naruto and Sasuke were sitting in the kitchen, drinking mugs full of hot chocolate. They both sat in silence, neither feeling akward, nor extremely comfortable. Well, Sasuke was as comfy as a queen on her thrown, but Naruto had the need to question the raven. He wanted to know what the actor had meant on the phone earlier. No wanting to say something stupid, he brought it up behind something else.

"So, about that script..." he began, immediately flinching. He didn't want to start out like that.

Sasuke looked at him, waiting, hot chocolate slipping between his lips.

Naruto sighed and just cut to the chase, "You're going to make me gay, aren't you?"

xXxXx

Sasuke and Naruto sat in the dimly lit kitchen, the sound of the videogames in the living room not reaching their ears since Silo had put the T.V. on mute before falling asleep on the sofa, his cheek resting atop a small, silky pillow. Sasuke fiddled with the salt shaker on the table while he let the blond skim through the screenplay, not worried at all that he'd become homophobic and refuse to play the part.

"Where'd you come up with the idea?" Naruto broke the silence with his quiet question.

The raven glanced up and stared into blue orbs, but didn't answer, not really wanting to anwer at the moment, "I'll tell you later. Right now's not the best time."

Respecting his friend, Naruto continued to skim over the words, his parts, processing the scenes, thinking about how he'd make this character real. Flipping the page, he smiled bitterly, "Their relationship is pretty rough," he stated.

"It was," Sasuke replied slowly, his fingers running over the metal top of the salt shaker, little specks of the seasoning sticking to the sides of his nails.

Naruto's eyes snapped up, but he said nothing.

Sasuke sat the shaker back onto the smooth table and took the script once Naruto finished it, tucking it into his back pocket, "I think you should meet the other actors. There's only one that has an important part in the movie, and I'm sure you'll get along with her fine," he stood and let his usual smirk slip across his face. It was the first time Naruto had seen it since they'd sat down at the table.

"Ah, sure. Is tomorrow good? It's sort of late and I promised to call Sai. If I call too late, we won't be able to have phone sex," he grinned.

Sasuke frowned, "I don't want to hear about your private life, Dobe," he snapped.

"Well," the blond laughed, "you pushed yourself into my life, Sasuke, so you'll just have to deal with it!" he said in a sing-song voice, happily getting up and slinging and arm over his buddy's shoulder.

"I did, didn't I?" the raven sighed.

xXxXx

The next morning was uneventful. Silo and Naruto were eating cereal in the living room like usual, watching some crazy Japanese show about a girl who had no interest in humans, just the supernatural. Despite how weird it was, they very much enjoyed it, and when it was over, Naruto watched as Silo tried to remember the dance at the end.

"You look like a girl," Naruto snickered, milk dribbling down his chin as he had yet to swallow his bite of cereal. He wiped away the wet trail with his shirt sleeve and laughed full out when Silo kept trying to do the dance moved, "jeez, just stop it. We have to get to the set. Come on, grab your shoes," he took Silo's empty bowl of cereal, along with his, to the sink and dropped them in, no caring about droplets of milk splattering onto the counter.

Silo did as he was told and slipped on his sneakers, yanking up the hood of his coat so he wouldn't get snow in his hair. Turning off the television, he ran to the main hall and took his father's hand, "Do you think there'll be other kids there, Chichiue? I don't like being around adults all the time. They get boring after a while," he pouted.

"Hmm, Sasuke said Kakashi had a son. He might be there and you two can go play while we practice," he opened the front door and they were both hit with a wave of snowflakes and a below freezing gust of wind. Naruto cursed and Silo just whined loudly, tugging his hood further down to cover his face.

Then, when they arrived at the set around noon, Hidan was outside waiting for them, wearing his usual black, red, and white Akatsuki cloak. He motioned for them to park in the large garage, then led them inside, the huge place sending Silo into a fit of pure glee. He'd never been in such a spacious building and he was tempted to run around and giggle until he collapsed, or ran into something.

"Ah, Naruto-kun," Itachi welcomed them, giving the blond one of his sly smiled. Behind them, Hidan watched, unblinking. The last few days, Itachi had been acting completely fine, but now Hidan could see the game that Itachi was going to start playing with himself. Just like Sasuke, he hated how Itachi had turned out because of the stress of his job.

"Weasel-san!" he interrupted, leaping onto him and licking behind his ear, "can I talk to you in private, hm?" he gave his best smile, knowing his best friend wouldn't resist.

Sighing, Itachi agreed and they both went behind the rack of clothes that their designer had brought in, "What is it?"

Hidan huffed, "What did I tell you about about your mind games?"

Itachi stayed silent, face expressionless.

"To not do them, that's what!" Hidan's arms flailed around, "quit playing games with yourself. You hurt yourself and you hurt the people who care about you. I know... I know the job as Leader's right-hand man is stressful and you have to do something about it... but there are better ways, you know!" he complained, handing Itachi a small wrapped package. It was square-shaped and wrapped with newspaper, "take it, it'll help you out," he promised with a smile.

Taking the gift, Itachi let his fingertips ghost over the taped down edges before tearing the paper away, revealing a strange-shaped object in a clear, plastic box. He opened it and pulled the item out, eyeing it with raised brows.

"I call it the 'Squeezle Weasel'," Hidan laughed.

In the older Uchiha's grasp was a little goo-filled, plastic weasel. He gave it a firm squeeze and tthe eyes popped out. He smiled only slightly and kept squeezing it, "How very thoughtful." he whispered. He'd never admit it to anyone, but every little thing Hidan gave him was very special to him.

Hidan grinned, "I have one at home and it really does work. I haven't gotten into a bar fight in exactly one week! Amazing, right?" he laughed and ran his palm over slicked hair, "oi, Weasel-san, do you think I'd look better with my hair down?"

Used to his friend switching to completely random topics, Itachi smirked, "If you kept your hair down, I suppose you'd get more attention, and not from just whores."

Hidan pouted, "Don't say that. You're not a whore at all," he smiled teasingly and gave Itachi a peck on the nose before scurrying off, "I'll see you during the break!" he waved, "Deidara called me and he wants to talk!"

Itachi nodded his farewells and kept the stress toy in his grasp, squeezing it every so often with a tiny smile on his face.

"You're not acting like yourself," Sasuke spoke up as he came from the snack tables, "I'm guessing you crumbled under Hidan's bright personality?"

Itachi snorted, "Hardly. And I could say the same for you. Following Naruto-kun around like a lost puppy. You're a disgrace to the Uchiha family."

Sasuke twitched, "You might want to take that back before I snatch away that ugly doll in your hands."

Itachi glared and tucked the gift away in his cloak.

Kakashi came in through one of the doors to the side of the huge buiding, a little boy walking beside him, eyes on the ground. He smiled when he saw Naruto and Silo looking around in awe as they checked out every nook and cranny of the place. Leading his little boy down the steps, he whispered to him:

"Remember when I said that Naruto-kun had a son? He's here and I'm sure he'd love to play with you," he took his smiling son over to Naruto and Silo.

The blond turned when he felt the other man standing behind, then blinked at the little boy by his side. He had dark silver hair and glazed over, dark red eyes. It seemed like he wasn't focusing on anything but the floor, "Hey, Kakashi! This is... Haruka, right?"

The boy nodded, but kept his gaze on the ground.

Silo gave his attention to the other child, "Konnichiwa, my name's Silo," he chirped, "nice to meet you, Haruka!"

Kakashi rubbed Haruka's shoulders and let his grasp on him go, "Why don't you go play with him? You should be able to do fine without me, you're used to the layout of this place," he smiled underneath his mask.

Naruto blinked, confused, "Layout...?"

"Haruka's blind," the scarecrow informed him and Silo, "but he can still see a bit."

"Everything's most blurry," the child spoke up, softly. His voice was smooth and his words flowed like a river. He turned towards Silo and laid his eyes on him, smiling a bit, "do you like icecream?" he asked.

If possible, Silo perked up even more, "I love icecream! Especially butter pecan!"

"Then come on," Haruka started walking, used to the structure of the building, "there's an icecream parlor right outside of here. Is it alright if I take him there, Otosan?" he asked Kakashi, "I'll get Iruka to go with us, if you want."

Kakashi shook his head, "No, go ahead. It's just around the corner."

Silo looked at his father, giving him the famous Uzumaki look, causing the blond to twitch, "Just go and hurry back. And get me some mint chocolate chip icecream while you're gone," he tossed him some money and watched as they scurried off. He turned towards Kakashi with a grin, "Your kid's cute. Looks a lot like you except for the red eyes."

The older man chuckled, "Yes, he got them from his mother," he turned when a hand was placed on his shoulder and he was met by a smiling Iruka, the tan man smiling and handing him a script, "Ino left this on our apartment. Could you give it back to her for me?"

Kakashi kissed the other man on the cheek through the material covering his face, "My pleasure, Dolphin-chan! Oh, and our son went to get get icecream with his new friend. I told him to go by himself, but--"

Iruka suddenly punched his lover on the back of the head, a vein throbbing on his forehead, "You let him go down the street by himself?.! What kind of father are you?.!" he scurried away and made his way outside, "Haruka, I'm coming for you!"

Kakashi rubbed his sore skull and pouted, "With his mood swings you'd think he was pregnant."

Naruto snorted with laughter.

xXxXx

After many introductions, the filming process had began. There was a short chat beforehand, but that came to a halt when a pretty blonde girl raised her hand, saying that they should start since there was going to be an interview later that evening. The people invited on the show were Sasuke, Naruto, and Ino (the stunning blonde female). Naruto had been confused, not knowing there was supposed to be an interview on a talk show, but then became happy with the idea. He was going to be on t.v.! Yosh!

Itachi, as the director of Sasuke's film, took his place in his comfy set chair, legs crossed. He put on a pair of stylish reading glasses and pressed them further up the bridge of his nose, glancing down at the script in his hand. He flipped through, speaking as he did so, "Naruto-kun, did you memorize your lines for scene one?"

The blond male grinned and have him a thumbs up, "Yep, did it last night!"

Itachi nodded, "Good. Then, we'll do all of the school and home scenes here, then do the other scenes in the city once it warms up," he flipped back to the first scene, "Let's start with the opening scene. You all know your lines, so get in place!" he shouted so everyone could hear.

Naruto, dressed in a black slacks and a white dress shirt, went around of the corner of the built school hallway, amazed at how realistic it was. It looked almost exactly like his old school from when he was in high school. Shaking his head to rid himself of his thoughts, he took his place and waited for Itachi to yell action. He grinned to himself, already loving the world of acting.

"Action!"

Naruto went into character, his large grin disappearing. He began walking and turned the corner as he heard hurried footsteps, then a body slammed into his and he stumbled back, the papers he was given falling to the tiled floor. Sasuke, who had rammed into him, fell to the floor, hissing in false pain, his books falling along with Naruto's papers.

"Watch where you're going!" Sasuke spat, pushing himself up and glaring at the blond. His icy look quickly melted once he realized who he'd run in to, "Sanji-sensei..."

Naruto gave him a smile, "I'd appreciate it if you'd pick up my papers, Ishinomori-kun."

The raven immediately dropped to the floor and began collecting the white sheets, leaving his books until last. His cheeks were stained a light pink (the act received mental applause from Naruto) and he stood back up, handing the pape to his "teacher".

"Gomen, Sanji-sensei," his tone turned from rude, to quiet and polite, much like a girl's, "I was just--"

"In a hurry to my class?" Naruto chuckled.

"Your... class?"

"I'm taking over as your gym teacher," the blond smiled and took his papers from the student, "and if you don't put your books in your locker and hurry up, you'll be late," then he walked past Sasuke.

"That's a wrap!" Hidan chirped from beside Itachi, irritating the raven. He'd just arrived a few moments before and took the chance to "steal the glory".

Naruto grinned once again and made a sharp turn, facing Sasuke, "Tell me I did good!"

Sasuke smirked, "That was one of the simplest scenes in the movie, Dobe. And it's well, not good."

The blond glared at him.

"Chichiue!" Silo ran to him and gave him a hug, careful of the mint icecream cone in his hand. He pulled away and held the frozen treat up with a large smile, "you did really well!"

Sasuke chuckled, "See, even he knows proper grammar."

"Listen here!" Naruto growled, "I can damn well say what I want, Teme!" thus began another squabble between the two "lovebirds", so Kakashi had named them. Right away, Silo knew it was going to turn into one of those little fights that quickly changed into words of love... or in their case, words of perversion.

"Baka."

"Asshole!"

"Usuratonkachi."

"Fucker!" then Naruto launched, slamming Sasuke against the cement wall, the both of them sliding to the side and falling to the floor, growling and cursing at each other. Naruto tugged at Sasuke's hair and Sasuke yanked on his, the both of them glaring daggers.

No one tried to stop them. Well, no one really wanted to... especially Ino, being the yaoi fangirl that she was. So instead of stopping them, she lifted up the small digital camera that was slung around her neck and took aim, stepping forward so she could get the best shot possible.

"Yeah, you like being under me, don't you?" Naruto purred, his fingers around Sasuke's wrists, holding them down against the cold floor. He smirked in smug satisfaction as the raven's eyes narrowed even more, but then the actor gave him a cocky smirk of his own.

"I enjoy riding you more," he teased, voice husky. There was a rubbing of hips, and Naruto started laughing, causing a reaction. Sasuke began laughing, but not as loud as the blond, causing everyone in the studio to stop what they were doing.

Sasuke plus laughing equals WTF.

Itachi leaned forward and rubbed his temples, "If things like this are going to happen every day on the set, I might as well quit."

Ino giggled and began taking pictures, stunning the two laughing boys into silence. Naruto looked up and winced when he was momentarily blinded by the flashing light of the girl's camera, "H-Hey!" he whined, lifting himself off of Sasuke and covering his eyes with folded arms.

"I'm a yaoi fangirl," she said proudly, finally lowering her camera. Naruto hadn't really noticed before, but her eyes were a very pale blue and her frame was perfect, stylish clothes hugging her curves.

He kept the drool in his mouth.

Sasuke looked back and forth between them, then sighed.

xXxXx

Naruto handed Silo his cellphone and smiled. At the moment, he, Sasuke, Ino, Kakashi, Silo, and Ino were on the set of a popular show in Japan called "Underground Nippon." It was a show in Tokyo, but it broadcasted all over Asia. The blond leaned his son towards Kakashi and Haruka.

"You remember how to use my cellphone, right? Why don't you call Sai or Sakura? I'm sure they'd love to talk to you," he smiled.

Silo nodded and went to go sit with the scarecrow and his new friend, tossing a "good luck" to his father before he was called by a large man to get ready to go out. Sasuke and Ino came back from the snack table, adjusting their clothing.

"Naruto, your hair's so messy!" Ino ran her fingers through his hair, trying to made it tidy, but failing miserably. She huffed and retracted her arm, "but I suppose women go for the rough look..." she turned to Sasuke, "I think you should make your hair messy too, so he doesn't get embarrassed," she teased, causing Naruto to blush a bit.

"H-Hey!" no cute girl was going to make fun of Uzumaki Naruto! "I think I look pretty hot with my hair like this," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, I suppose," the pretty blonde tilted her head and smiled slightly. She glanced up and saw the host, Shurei-san, getting ready to call them out, "Oh! Come on, she's about to call us!" she shoved Naruto along, Sasuke trailing behind them. No, no, don't think he felt rejected. He didn't... but just maybe a tad bit left out... damn emo-ness.

"And as you all know, Uchiha Sasuke had disappeared from Japan just a few weeks ago. But he returned on Monday and we are now being graced with his presence," Shurei-san told the large crowd, mostly consisting of teenage girls holding up signs that said "Marry Me, Sasuke-kun!"

That was their sign and all three actors stepped out on stage, Sasuke with his hands in his pockets, Ino waving with a cheery smile, and Naruto giving them a foxy grin, causing some Sasuke fangirls to blush and whisper.

"Not only is Uchiha-san here, but his fellow actors in his first film, as well," she motioned for them to take a seat and she stayed standing, high heels clacking against the wooden floor, "I'm sure you all know the talented Yamanaka Ino, but who is this other handsome man?"

Sasuke was about to answer, but Naruto beat him to it.

"The name's Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo!" the crowd laughed and began whispering, saying things such as "he's cute" or "I think he's an American."

Shurei-san let out an whistful laugh, "Uzumaki-san, hmm? Tell me, what part do you play in Uchiha-san's upcoming film."

"The main part," Naruto said with pride, his large grin never wavering. Beside him Sasuke raised a brow, surprised that the crowd loved him, despite having seen any of his acting skills, "as amazing as it sounds! But I'm just that good!"

"Don't get cocky," Sasuke muttered, so the crowd wouldn't hear. Unfortunately, Naruto did.

The blond turned and glared, "What was that, Teme?" the crowd stared in awe at the two. No one talked to their precious Sasuke-kun like that!

Ino pouted, _Our first interview for this movie and they're going to blow it! Men are such idiots!_

"Don't make a scene, Dobe," the raven said calmly.

"A scene? I don't make scenes, spoiled teenage girls make scenes!"

"Quit rambling and just let Shurei-san ask her questions," Ino said loudly, causing Naruto to grumble and turn back to the older woman, "sorry," he mumbled.

The slim woman slowly blinked and let out a nervous laugh, "I-It's quite alright. Um, yes, well... Yamanaka-san, can you tell me the part you play?"

Ino perked up, "I play the wife!" she chirped, "and Naruto plays my husband!"

"What about you, Uchiha-san?"

Naruto cut Sasuke off before he even began, "He plays the teenager I have an affair with," he grinned, "hot, right? Uchiha Sasuke's going to be an uke, an uke, an u--" a hand was clamped around his throat and the cameras were turned off.

"Fuck you," Sasuke growled and he threw the blond onto the ground.

Ino stood and viciously kicked the both of them, her heels digging into their sides, "You two are the most immature, vulgar, idiotic men I've ever met!"

The audience continued to watche in amazement, while the host rubbed her temples and sighed.

"Let's try this again in an hour, alright?" she asked in annoyance.

xXxXx

The next day, Naruto opened the newspaper, Sasuke by his side drinking a steaming hot coffee. The both of them were covered in bruises and cuts, the blond's cheeks covered with bandaids. He looked at the picture on the very front page and grinned, showing it to the raven.

"Aren't we cute?" he cooed.

The picture was of them on the floor fighting, Naruto yanking on Sasuke's long bangs. The title of the article was "Not the Healthiest of Relationships, but Quite Refreshing."

Sasuke groaned.

**Yes, the longest I've ever written! Praise me!**


	14. Majik

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Okay, I haven't been in the mood to write, so I'm sorry if this is crap :Sweatdrop: **

**OMG, did you see the newest manga chapter to Naruto?.! Dude, Kishimoto actually put yaoi in there!.! I was squeeling when I saw it! And SasuSai, hottest thing ever! XD**

**The new character in here is dedicated to my Xa Oppa! Yes, you get your own character! And he's a cute little kid, too :Grin: ... Straight, though. Damn. I just HAD to give you a character, though.**

**In this chapter, we start getting into Silo's story, yay! He makes a new friend!**

Plopping down onto the king size bed, Naruto yawned, arms stretched far above his head. He was too tired to even roll over, his muscles aching and his head throbbing. For the past month, he'd been doing nothing but work and going to the parent programs at Silo's new school. Heaving a long sigh, he closed his eyes.

_"I'm a dobe."_

Blue eyes snapped open.

_"I like it up the--"_, a tan hand grabbed the cellphone on the bed-side stand and flipped it open.

_I need to get that ringtone changed, _he grumbled inwardly, putting the phone to his ear, "Hello?" he asked, even though he already knew it was Sasuke.

_"I'm outside of your house, so unlock your door. I have some mail to give you," _Naruto could hear the smirk in the other's voice. When Sasuke smirked, it wasn't really a good sign... or maybe it was? He'd been doing a lot of it lately, and at the end of the day, he'd take Naruto and Silo out for icecream. So hey, no one was really complaining.

"Yeah, yeah, coming," he snapped his phone shut and tucked it into his back pocket as he got up, yawning and scratching the back of his head, ruffling up his already unruly hair. Trudging down the steps, he took his sweet time in reaching the front door, giving Silo a soft kick in the butt as he passed him in the living room.

"Hey!" the crow pouted and went back to playing his DS. Haruka had gotten it for him as a thank you gift for last week. Silo had basically saved him from getting beat up by bullies. Apparently, some kids weren't too fond of the handicap. The little boy had beaten them all up within ten minutes, snarling and hissing at them like an animal. And at the end of the fight, Silo had gotten himself a large fanclub. Well, 90 of the school population.

Naruto grinned and tugged open the front door, greeting his raven-haired friend with a salute, "Welcome to the Uzumaki household!"

"I've been here at least two hundred times in the last month," Sasuke snorted, carrying a big box under his right arm "there's no need for you to do that every time I come over," he gave a firm wave to Silo and smiled. He'd grown find of the child and they'd grown close; always going out to bond when Naruto had business to attend to.

"Uchiha-san!" Silo turned off his DS and pushed it into one of the large pockets in his cargo pants, running quickly to Sasuke and wrapping his small fingers around his wrist, "come play a game with me! Chichiue won't," he huffed, "he says he's too tired."

Sasuke chuckled, "I'll play with you in a little while. I have some things to give to Naruto."

Nodding, Silo turned and ran into the living room, a lot more happy and active than he used to be in America. He leaped onto the sofa and yanked his DS back out, intent on kicking some virtual ass.

Naruto led his friend upstairs to his bedroom and fell back onto his bed, "Damn, I'm exhausted! You'd think acting wouldn't be so tiring," he didn't even look over when Sasuke sat down beside him and laid back, face close to Naruto's, "I don't even want to go to the studio tomorrow."

Sitting the slightly heavy box on his stomach, Sasuke breathed in deeply, noting how the bedroom smelled a lot like the blond's shampoo. He scrunched up his nose; he didn't like vanilla very much. Craning his neck to the side, he looked at the blond's profile, blue eyes half open, lashes touching high cheeks.

"So, what did you bring me?" Naruto asked, having forgotten. He rolled over and faced his friend with a grin, "maybe a few numbers of some sexy ladies you know? Or Ino's number?" he grin widened, "you know what? I think she's pretty cute."

Sasuke frowned, "Then ask her out. Don't bore me with your thoughts on how she'd make a good mother, or how she'd be good in bed. And believe me, she's not."

Cerulean eyes widened, "You had sex with her?.! Dude, I thought you were asexual!"

The raven snorted, "We were young and I wanted to see if I was even the least bit straight."

There was a pause, then a small voice spoke up.

"I knew you were a flaming homo. Damn, if you try to sex me up I swear to God I'll knock you out," Naruto joked with a brilliant grin, "or maybe I'll let you have your dirty way with me. Depends on my mood. Hmm, you should test me on a Wednesday because--"

"I do **not **want to have sex with you," Sasuke growled, "I don't even find you attractive. You're loud, annoying, obnoxious, and you have a large ego. I prefer men who are quiet and reserved, and who--"

"Push you up against the wall and fuck you!" Naruto snorted in laughter.

Sasuke held back an out of character blush, "No, and don't cut me off," he tossed the large box onto Naruto, causing the youth to cough and sputter. He sat up and brushed his bangs out of his face, black eyes gleaming, "that's another thing that keeps you from my list of date worthy men."

Naruto pouted and pretended to be hurt, "So mean, Sasuke-kun, I wanted to be your boyfriend."

With a playful sneer, Sasuke crossed his legs indian style, his baggy pants not getting in the way. For the first time in a while, he'd decided to wear normal clothing. Nothing expensive or too stylish, amazingly enough. He smirked.

"Open the box, Dobe, there's a bunch of presents for you."

Naruto blinked, "Presents? Like cake?"

Sasuke sighed, "No, not like cake. Fan letters and such. When you're an actor you get a lot of things like that. Open it and read them."

Yanking open the taped down wings, he peaked inside, hundreds of letters and little wrapped presents in his view. He let out a loud "whoop!" and dug in, pulling out letter after letter, trinket after trinket until they were all read and opened. That took about forty minutes.

"Hey, look, someone got me a dildo," he snickered and held up the dark blue phallus, "since you like it up the ass, do you want it?" he handed it to Sasuke with a large smile.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "No thanks."

"Ano, do you even have a boyfriend?" the blond asked, honestly curious. He'd yet to see his good friend with another male other than his brother, Kakashi, and-- his eyes widened, "is it Kiba?.!"

The actor winced in distaste, "That poor excuse of a man?" he snorted, "I'd rather go out with a woman than with him. And no, I don't have a lover."

"How come?"

"Why are you so interested?"

"Can't I be curious about a good friend's sexual life?"

"Not when you're straight and that good friend's gay."

"Hey, I know a lot of girls who are interested in gay guys."

"That's because they're girls."

"You know what? I don't care who butt rapes you!"

"... Butt rape? What are you, five?"

"I'll show you five, you queer!" he tackled Sasuke and he pinned the smaller man to the bed, wrists above his head. He smirked and bent down to his ear, lips brushing against a lobe, "now, you can't tell me I don't make you hard."

Sasuke struggled to get loose, but his movements got him nowhere. He growled, "If anything, you'd kill a boner."

The blond whined, "That's mean! I'm sure I'm not that ugly," he pouted and pulled back, looking honestly upset. For some reason, Sasuke felt a little pang of regret. He knew that it was a bad idea to deflate another male's pride.

He sighed and shook his head, "No, you're not ugly. Just not my type. Which is a good thing, right? I doubt you'd want me to fall for you like Sai," he smirked.

Naruto perked up a bit and laughed, "Don't joke about that. I felt really bad for him. I could tell he liked me a lot... and I just rejected him," he rubbed his neck, "but he could find someone better than me."

"That's for sure."

"Hey!"

xXxXx

Silo hurried through the crowded hall, eyes darting around as he tried to spot Haruka in the mass of short bodies and old teachers. He skidded to a halt near the cafeteria when he saw his friend sitting on the bottom steps of the main stairway, walking stick gone.

"Haruka-kun!" he called, running to him, "where's your walking stick?" he asked, worried. He bent down and helped the taller boy up. Haruka was never seen without his walking stick unless he was at home or at the filming studio.

The silver-haired child smiled in a way that told Silo it was ok, "It broke during math. But don't worry, I'm doing fine without it," his dull red eyes were on the ground and he gained his balance by wrapping an arm around the crow's shoulders.

"You might get hurt," Silo told the other, "here, I'll carry your books and take you to class," he led Haruka through the crowd, glaring at anyone who got in the way.

"Thank you, Silo," Haruka smiled, "I don't know what I'd do without you. You're like my eyes."

Silo flushed red in embarrassment, "O-oh, it's no big deal..." he'd never really been praised so much by an upperclassman. Haruka was two years older than him, "um, your class is the third on the left?" he asked as he stopped in front of the classroom, a lanky teacher inside speaking with another student about homework.

"Yeah, this is it," he pulled himself away from Silo, taking his books, and went inside, feeling the walls and the space around him, "thanks a lot, Silo, remind me to pay you back."

Blushing again, Silo shook his head, but immediately stopped when he realized Haruka wasn't able to see the gesture, "N-no, you don't have to. I'm just helping out a friend," he smiled brightly, "do you... do you want me to pick you up after class, too?"

"I would appreciate it," Haruka took his seat by the door, "I'll see you after class," he waved good-bye, not really knowing if his friend had left or not.

Silo waved back and muttered "bye" before running down the empty halls. When the bell rang, he cried out loudly, "I'm late!"

xXxXx

Out in the hall, outside of a large classroom, stood Silo. He had a filled bucket of water in each hand, a frown on his cute face. He'd explained to his teacher why he was late, but she didn't believe him, saying that a little deliquent like him wouldn't bother with the handicap kids. Che, bitch.

_How could she not believe me? And I'm not a deliquent. I got into a fight, once, _he mumbled to himself, _and it was because of Haruka-kun. If she knew I was in a fight, then she should know why. Stupid Nakajo-sensei._

He heard a scuffling of sneakers down the hall and turned, watching as a boy around Haruka's age glanced back and forth, looking confused. Silo couldn't see his face clearly until the kid turned his way, eyes becoming brighter as he saw him.

"Hi!" the other boy said loudly as he approached Silo. He spoke in English, not Japanese, and he had a strange accent(1). One half of his hair was white, while the other was black, his eyes were violet, and his clothes were... well, strange. The sleeves of his uniform shirt were rolled up, on his arms were bandages, and there were colorful patches stitched into his black pants, making him look a lot like a hobo. But he looked very clean and tidy, his skin as smooth as a baby's bottom.

"Ah... hi," Silo greeted hesitently.

"Do ya know where the library is?" the kid bounced from one foot to the other, the little red lights on his sneakers lighting up. He continued to do that, refusing to stay still, "gotta read, ya know? World War 2!" he did a salute and stuck his arm straight out, "Heil Hitler!" then he burst into loud, rolling giggles, scaring Silo to death.

"L-L-Library?" the crow stuttered, "It's... right down the hall, over there," he tilted his head toward the other side of the hallway, hoping to get rid of the kid as fast as possible. He didn't want to get attacked by a loony during school.

"Thanks, little miss! Have fun weighing your buckets of water!" he then sped down the hall, whistling a tune from Kill Bill vol.1, while swinging his little school bag around. Once he disappeared, Silo wrinkled his nose.

"Did he just call me a girl?"

xXxXx

Naruto continued to stare at the back of Sasuke's head, mumbling "duck butt, duck butt, goose!" as they walked into the filming studio. The raven, being the well-contained person he was, kept his annoyance bottled up, turning every so often to glare at his companion.

"Would you shut up?" he growled.

"But I just expect your hair to jump off of your head and waddle away," the blond remarked, "it's amazing... how does it stick up like that? Do you use gel or does it magically turn out like that when you wake up in the morning? Maybe it has a life of its own and--"

"Will you quit rambling?" Sasuke asked, irritated.

"Ah, Otouto, you're late," Itachi said as soon as he saw them. He was sitting in his director's chair, Hidan right across from him, in his own little chair. They were both drinking water, the stress weasel in Itachi's grasp, "I'd began to think that you and Naruto-kun were off having an elicit affair."

Naruto laughed while Sasuke glared.

"One of us has to already be in a relationship for it to be an affair."

"So you don't deny being together, sexually?" Hidan grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. Oh how Sasuke despised the duo. His brother and Hidan always got on his nerves when they were together.

"By the way," Itachi cut in, looking at his painted nails, "Haku's arrived, along with Zabuza. They're on the set talking with Ino. I thought you'd like to say hello and maybe introduce Naruto-kun?"

Sasuke raised his brows, "Haku's back?" he turned to Naruto and motioned for him to follow, the both of them stepping onto the set, Ino's cheery laughter heard behind one of the built walls. As they walked around, the girl almost ran into them, sending Naruto stumbling back, only to hit is head on the cement wall.

"Itai!" he yelped, clutching his injured head, "god damn wall!"

"I'm sorry!" Ino cried, scurrying to him and pulling his hands away so she could look at his head. She stood on her tip toes to get the best view, and smiled when she felt no bump, "aww, you're fine, you big baby," she laughed and ruffled his hair.

Naruto pouted, his ego hurt from being treated like a child by the girl he had a crush on at the moment. And she should feel proud, dammit! He hadn't tumbled back because he was afraid of running into her, it'd happened because he saw what she was wearing and had went into shock. The little purple outfit was so cute!

_It's not manly to call things cute, _he told himself firmly.

Ino looked between him and Sasuke, and smiled prettily, "I'll see you two when filming starts in an hour. I have to go to a little conference at my brother's school," she sighed, "he's always scaring the other children. I swear, I'm going to ground him if mom doesn't," then she left, telling Itachi of her leave.

"She has a brother?" Naruto asked.

"His name's Iori and he's about Silo's age. A year older, at the most."

Naruto was about to say how they should get them to meet up, but a striking young beauty caught his attention and he snapped his mouth shut. Beside the person was a large man made of all muscle, dressed in a police uniform. He gave Naruto an icy glare, but the pretty person beside him slapped him gently on the arm with a smile.

"Don't look at him like that, Zabuza-san, you'll scare him," the voice was definitely feminine. The beauty held out her hand and a brilliant smile. Naruto just stared, "you must be Naruto-kun. I've heard so much about you from Itachi-san. My name's Haku and I'll be working with you in the movie. I just tell actors what would be the best way to go about scenes, just simple things."

"O-oh, hi," was all Naruto managed to get out.

Haku laughed softly.

"Don't be an idiot, Dobe," Sasuke scoffed, "tell him something about yourself. It's only polite."

Naruto thought about what to say, "I... well, I'm a natural blond?"

Sasuke glared and Haku began giggling, but it wasn't too girly. Naruto then noticed that Haku's dainty fingers were around Zabuza's wrist, the taller man not looking the least bit fazed. Hmm, maybe they were going out?

Then Zabuza sent him a cold look, "I hope you'll never try to prove that to Haku," he growled, "he's not someone good to take advantage of," his voice was deadly.

"No, no, no, I-- wait, guy?" Blue eyes widened, "No way! You're a guy?" he stared at Haku in shock. But he was so pretty! Long hair, slender frame, girly features, gorgeous chocolate eyes... what the hell?.! "man, then you don't have to worry about me going after him," he laughed nervously, "I'm not into men."

Haku tilted his head, dark brown hair cascading over his small shoulders, "Aren't you going out with Sasuke-kun?"

"..."

"..."

"Why does everyone think I'm gay?.!"

xXxXx

As the last class of the day rolled around, Silo found himself in a better mood. He'd had a yummy lunch, had gotten away from his fanclub (mostly filled with girls who wanted to date him. Jeez, who knew obsession started so young?), and now he was spending time with Haruka in the only class they had together. Art.

The teacher had told everyone to draw something or someone they really liked, and Silo immediately knew to draw himself with his chichiue and Sasuke. If he would've drawn Haruka, that would've been a bit akward when sharing time came around. So he sketched and sketched, having become a fairly good artist from Sai's teachings, and then began to color.

Across from him, Haruka tried his best to draw something, but Silo couldn't tell what it was. He really wanted to help his friend with his piece, but knew the teacher would scold him if he did, so he just finished his own picture, coloring in the sky with various shades of blue.

"Class," their sensei began, having come back in from stepping out into the hall, "we have a new student today, so stop what you're doing and give him your full attention."

Silo dropped his colored pencil and turned in his chair, confused. Why would a student be coming in during the last class of the day? He blinked when the weird boy from before marched in, giving the room a glance over, then grinning widely. It reminded him a lot of his father.

"Please tell everyone your na--" the teacher began, but was cut off.

"The name's Majik! Pronounced just like magic, so get it right!" he warned everyone, but with a warm tone, "and if ya don't, I'll do like my daddy does and beat ya up!"

The entire class stared, then broke out into laughter. The kid had to be the strangest person they'd ever met, besides the boy next door who said he could see ghosts. What was his name? Iori...?

"Yes, well, why don't you take a seat next to Uzumaki," he motioned him toward Silo, "he'll tell you what we're doing."

"Righty-O!" he hopped to the table and plopped down between Silo and Haruka, "Oh, it's the little missy from the hall! Tell me, did ya finish weighing your water?"

Haruka didn't understand what was going on. He could even see what was going on and that frustrated him to no end.

"Ya know, I would've just put 'em on a scale. It would've been easier, little miss," Majik smiled and snatched a piece of drawing paper from the stack at the center of the table, stealing a few of Silo's colored pencils, "so what're we doin'?"

_How weird, _Silo told himself and smiled a bit, "We're drawing something or someone that we like."

"OK, that should be easy enough! Jupps!" he then began doodling, turning his attention to Haruka, "sooooo, are you little missy's boyfriend?"

Haruka blinked glazed over eyes, "Silo's not a girl."

Majik stopped his scribbling and glanced over at Silo, "You're not a girl? I don't believe that one bit," he reached out and groped the boy's chest, ignoring the indignified squeek that slipped out of Silo's lips, "huh, you could be flat-chested," he then reached lower, causing Silo to cry out in embarrassment and fall out of his chair.

"Uzumaki, what happened?" the teacher asked.

Majik just laughed and sat back in his chair, "I'll be damned, you are a boy!"

All the while, Haruka just sat there, confused.

**(1) I'm not saying you have a funny accent, Xa Oppa :Sweatdrop: Just to Silo it's funny. Cuz he's a kid. **

**I hope you like your character, Xa Oppa! I luff you!**

**Next chapter: Naruto asks Ino out on a date, Sasuke finds himself bored out of his mind without his friend, both Naruto and Sasuke practice their kissing scene and the raven gets too into it, and Sasuke finds himself lonely.**


	15. Smutty Filler Number One

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**This is a filler chapter, minna! But I'm sure you'll love it either way! I HAD to write it because... well, I wanted to practice my skills for far later chapters where our three cute boys are older. Namely Silo, Majik, and Haruka.**

**THIS FILLER HAS SPOILERS!**

**You will find out things that you haven't read in the recent chaps of JLH, and there's gonna be SEX! A threesome!**

Silo moaned as a tongue ran down his chest, into the dip of his girly stomach, and around his bellybutton. His thin fingers gripped the headboard above him and he whimpered as another pair of lips claimed his heated skin. His bright eyes fluttered closed and he opened his mouth again to let out another sinful sound.

Haruka's rough hands gripped Silo by the hips, the frills of the skirt shifting against his large hands. He kept his eyes closed, even though he could see now. He'd memorized every curve and dip of his best friend's body during his years of darkness, where his vision had failed him and he'd relied on his other four senses. Beside him, Majik worked on the small buttons of Silo's already half-removed lolita dress.

The article of clothing was down around his hips, where only the buttons just below the bellybutton, and skirt remained. The easily excited teenager undid the last button and yanked the top away, licking his lips at the flush that covered their victim's entire upper body. Haruka could tell he was asking himself if the beauiful boy looked just as gorgeous down below.

Spreading his legs, Silo mewled, cold air fluttering against his burning skin. His creamy thighs twitched as Haruka ran an experienced hand along the expanse of skin, slowly. The stubby nails brushed against a the sensitive part of the leg and he surpressed a violent shudder.

He kept himself from begging when a long piece of fabric was placed over his eyes. He didn't need to open his eyes to know that Majik had blindfolded him. Haruka must've told the other boy that he liked the feeling of submission, that he got excited when he knew he was going to be completely helpless during a sexual experience. To not know what his partner was going to do next, then to be controlled... it turned him on.

Majik finished with tying the silky blindfold over Silo's eyes, then proceeded to wrap up the dainty wrists with bandages and tie them to each side of the headboard. By the time he finished, Silo was shaking in anticipation. The raven had been with Haruka many times before, but never Majik. He'd been so convinced that the other teen was straight, but then just this morning, Majik had stated that there was a fine line between love and sex. He loved women, but could have sex with either gender.

That's what led them to the position they were in now. Well, that's what led Silo to the position he was in now.

Pushing the black skirt over un-scarred legs, Haruka blinked open crimson eyes and looked down at the erection under silky pink panties. Along with bondage, Silo had a fetish for wearing feminine clothes during foreplay, and sometimes even intercourse. Haruka didn't mind at all, he never did. He'd admit that it turned him on. God, if Naruto ever found out half the things he and Silo did in the confines of their bedrooms, he'd probably end up castrated.

"Don't forget to gag him," Haruka mentioned to Majik, noticing that the other participant was busy giving the pale uke dozens of hickeys on his small neck. He smiled a bit when Silo let out a wavering breathe, apparently very excited about being given the last item that would make him helpless until the sex was done with.

Majik grinned and lifted up a little red ball that was in the center of a leather collar looking thing. He leaned forward, his exposed erection bobbing between his legs at the sudden movement. Placing the ball into Silo's mouth, he lifted up the boy's head and tied the straps around, clicking them together. Mmm, the raven looked damn delicious.

Silo shivered and ran his tongue against the ball in his mouth, wishing it were one of his playmate's cocks. He bucked his hips upward when a sharp nail scraped the tip of his penis through the wet panties. That was definitely Majik, the strange teen's nails being the only long ones of the three of them.

"Sensitive," Majik snickered, his accent fitting the bedroom scene too well. He licked his lips and shifted on the bed, letting Haruka move to the side. His fingers hooked onto the damp panties and slowly dragged them down, purposely letting the elastic waist scrape painfully over Silo's swollen arousal. He was rewarded with a muffled groan and the wriggling of dangerously seductive hips. He removed the pink material and ran smooth hands up the other male's legs, loving the feel of the porcelain skin under his sweaty palms.

As Majik busied himself with lifting Silo's hips up, putting those long legs over his strong shoulders, Haruka made use of his skillful tongue. The long, pink muscle ran up a barely defined rib cage, then rolled around a dusty nipple, focused on turning it a raw red, just how Silo liked it. He would've never thought the kind, sweet Uzumaki child would like something so dirty, kinky, and forbidden.

"I wanna hear him scream when he comes," Majik said bluntly and eyed the deliciously pink hole between Silo's soft cheeks. He steadied the raven's legs on his shoulders and grinned stupidly when they shifted and hooked themselves around his neck. He could feel the heels of the remaining high-heel shoes digging into his skin, but he didn't mind, the action only making him even harder, if that was possible.

Haruka nodded his head slowly and pulled away from the reddening nipple, moving so he faced Silo's blood-filled member. He lowered himself and took the normal-sized muscle into his mouth without warning, holding the bucking hips in place so he wouldn't choke. He shifted his own hips so the tip of his cock rubbed against Silo's face, smearing precum over a flushed cheek.

Majik rubbed Silo's heated inner thighs with his hands, then smirked widely as an idea popped into his head. He pulled one hand away and used the other to stimulate the boy's prostate. He pressed two fingers against the skin between the soft balls and clenching hole, then rubbed hard, giving no mercy. As Silo's heels dug deeper into his skin and as the victim's cries became loud and whiny, Majik continued his assault, intent on making Silo cum hard in Haruka's mouth.

Chuckling around Silo's salty erection, Haruka bobbed up and down, wanting to taste the bitter liquid he loved so much.

Silo quivered and shook, his body not used to double the stimulation. He tried desperately to thrust himself into his best friend's mouth, but that was proving difficult since said friend's hands were holding him down. So he tried to shove back against the delightful fingers pressing into his skin, but that didn't work either since Majik pulled away whenever he did that. He let his frustrated tears soak into his blindfold, not afraid to cry. His own tears and weakness made the sexual experience that more exciting and pleasurable.

He whined out both of their names around the ball gag, feeling so hot and close to release. The small muscles of his stomach clenched as that sudden feeling of falling, then everything exploded. Even with the gag in his mouth, he let out a loud, sexy moan, causing Majik to groan. His hips jerked back, despite Haruka's hold, and globs of cum splattered into the awaiting mouth, and onto a well-defined face.

Majik moaned inwardly as he looked from the white mess on Haruka's face, to Silo's softening penis. This threesome was proving to be too much for him and he needed release NOW. But he ignored his desire and decided that he should pay a bit of attention to Haruka. The older one of all three hadn't been given much during their time in bed, and Majik wanted to see if he could get the stern man to moan and groan.

Since they'd grown older, Silo had become the beautiful leader of the group who was both popular and smart, though his cuteness and oblivious nature sometimes got him molested by unwanted people; Majik was the loud, reckless one who constantly got in trouble for his horrible behavior. He was the one in the group who had the most brilliant personality, his smile as bright as the sun, his laughter as contagious as the flu; and Haruka, well, that boy had gone from cute to strong and vicious. He was the tallest, strongest, most dangerous of the group. He kept his emotions mostly to himself, unless around Silo or Majik, and when that happened, he turned into the sweetest man alive. He'd hug and kiss Silo, and whisper sweet nothings into his ear when the little crow was sad or upset.

Shaking his head to get rid of the non-lust-filled thoughts, Majik lowered Silo's legs to the mattress and pounced on Haruka, knocking the large male over and sealing their lips together in a bruising kiss. He knew he could only fall in love with women, but hell, sex with men was the best thing that happened to him since strawberry cheesecake icecream.

Responding immediately, Haruka shoved Majik against the headboard (startling Silo) and began nipping at his lower lip, loving the taste of cream pops that lingered on his tongue. He heard Silo whine beside him and pulled away, licking his swollen lips, Majik doing the same underneath him.

"Why don't ya fuck me above him?" the violet-eyed male asked seductively, wiggling his slender hips, "We'll tug down his blindfold and let 'im watch, hmm? That'd be hott," his anwer was Haruka reaching over to lift up the material covering their little uke's eyes. Silo blinked startling blue eyes, his cheeks becoming even more red when Haruka claimed Majik's lips, right above him. The silver-haired seme tugged on Majik's hair and kissed down a fair neck, leaving a trail of saliva. He then shoved the teen down on his hands and knees, face in front of Silo's.

Majik stared into cerulean eyes and opened his mouth in a silent moan when Haruka shoved a slick finger into his clenching passage. The look on the crow's face was enough to have Majik panting, the stimulation of Haruka's fingers causing him to close his eyes. Beneath him, Silo felt a new erection coming on, the muscle throbbing painfully. He wanted to be the one Haruka was fucking.

He tried to talk around the gag, but everything was muffled. Squirming, he managed to lift his knee under Majik's body weight and press it against Haruka's thigh, telling him that he needed his orgasm now. It wasn't only because he wanted it, it was because his dad would arrive home any minute.

Haruka took the hint and pulled his finger from Majik, moving forward to whisper into his ear. Silo watched under the lifted blindfold, seeing the boy towering over him grin before pushing himself up and moving his ass toward Silo's painful arousal.

"Mmmffhh?" Silo asked, needy as ever. He threw his head back and moaned around the gag as Majik lowered himself onto the swollen dick, his clenching passage swallowing him whole. But the pleasure only heightened when a slick cock was pushed into his entrance, as well. Silo had done it with Haruka many times, used to the size by now. He inhaled through his nose, body shivering as he watched Majik empale himself on his shaft, over and over, his face scrunched up in ecstasy.

"Fuck," he growled, "for someone so thin and girly, ya sure are big," bouncing up and down some more, he cried out loudly when his prostate was constantly struck, sweat matting down his soft hair. He could feel Haruka slam into Silo from behind and he chuckled low in his throat, despite his position. As their movements became frenzied, Majik felt his thighs become raw from Silo's skirt scratching against his tender skin.

Silo was in heaven, his eyes rolling back into his head. Majik's ass was tight around him and Haruka was as huge as always, ramming into him hard enough to break the bed and headboard. He arched his back perfectly, giving Majik a damn good view of his perky nipples and slender neck.

"Mmm!" the crow's cry mixed in with the slapping of skin and loud groans. Just then, the door downstairs opened and closed, not being noticed by either three of the horny males as they climbed higher and higher toward cloud nine. Silo felt the ball gag being removed from his mouth and he licked his dry lips before moaning and groaning like a whore, his sensual voice throwing dirty words into both other boys' ears.

"H-Harder!" he begged Haruka, then gave Majik a heated look before rolling his head to the side and crying out in pure pleasure, "F-f-fuck!" such filthy words coming from such a pretty person. His insides tightened around Haruka, and he felt Majik squeezing him... It was all too much and he came with long, delighted moan, his cum filling Majik up to the brim (metaphorically speaking).

Next was Majik. He rode Silo's softening cock for another few moments before semen spurted from his own member. Haruka was going to come next, but the bedroom door opened and he halted his momevents, turning quickly to see Naruto and Sasuke standing there, eyes wide.

Silo glanced over and blushed a brilliant red. Sure, NOW he's shy, "D-Dad!" he'd let go of saying chichiue years ago, "U-U-Uchiha-san!"

"..." Sasuke turned and walked away.

Naruto remained quiet, then frowned, turning back around to follow his lover, "Hey, Teme, how come we've never had a threesome? I know, let's call up Sai!"

"No!"

"How about your brother?"

"No!"

Majik paled and fell back, embarrassed.

xXxXx

Violet eyes shot open and a sweaty body sat up in bed, the summer heat having washed over his skin while he slept the afternoon away. On the floor, next to his bed, Silo sat, reading a new yaoi book Sai had sent him in the mail. Haruka was on the other side of the room, typing up a paper for his Japanese history class. Everything seemed normal... definitely unlike the dream he just had.

Silo bent his head back and looked up at Majik with gorgeous blue eyes, "You're awake!" he smiled, "now we can try out the new positions I was telling you about, Haruka-kun!" the crow hoisted himself up and brushed the imaginary dust from his snug jeans.

Majik's vibrant eyes widened and he swallowed thickly, "P-positions?"

"Yeah! You're in front and Haruka's in back with--"

"No! It'll never happen! I won't let ya take my innocence! I like women! I like boobs and vaginas!" he quickly crawled out of the bed and ran out of his own bedroom, not looking back, "you'll never have my ass, ya hear?.!"

Haruka slowly swiveled around in the computer chair, both brows raised.

Silo blinked in confusion, "Haruka-kun... what happened? I was only trying to help him practice his football strategies..."

The silver-haired teenager snorted and went back to typing his essay.

"Don't pay any attention to him, Silo, he's just a stupid pervert."

"Oh..."

**hah XD I was bored, so I wrote this... smutty filler thing...?**


	16. You Taste Like a Girl

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. SHIT.**

**Ok, the chap you've all been waiting for! The kissing scene! Even though it's not real... for Naruto, anyway.**

**This story is dedicated to my Xa Oppa a.k.a Weelittleboots, and so is the character known as Majik. :Hearts:**

**Also, some people are telling me that they can't read recent chaps to some of my story. Please don't blame me, because it's not my fault. The same happened to me when I went to check out a few newly update stories. So, um, all I can say is keep trying?**

"You think I should ask her out?"

"Do whatever you want."

"I was hoping for a yes or no, asshole! Should I ask her out or not?.!"

"Why are you even asking me? I'm the gay one, remember?"

"Everyone's the gay one in this damn place! And like they say, gay men give the best advice."

"That's a bunch of shit."

"You're trying to knock me off topic! Just answer my question!"

"..."

"Sasuke!"

"Fine, ask her out. Then you two can get married in a week, have another kid, then she can leave you for someone else a month later."

"... Thank you, but I just wanted a yes or no," Naruto grinned brightly and turned on his heel, intent on finding Ino. He hurried off stage and went in search for the pretty female, leaving an annoyed raven behind. Said raven sighed and rubbed his temples.

Naruto hadn't shut up about Ino for the past few days. He'd always talk about how she was so smart, so strong, so beautiful, how she'd probably be good in bed. It was enough to drive any gay or straight man to suicide. Now he understand why the blond's wife left him. No one would be able to stand his annoying ramblings.

Sasuke sat down by the snack table, getting himself a bottle of water. Haku, being the pretty little thing he was, sauntered up to the actor and gave him a lovely smile. He looked more boyish today due to his attire, but his soft face and full lips would never allow him to be any less than feminine. He grabbed a slice of apple from a fruit tray and dipped it in the peanut butter, lifting it to his lips and taking a small bite.

As he munched, he rested chocolate eyes on Sasuke, "Where's Naruto-kun?" he asked after swallowing.

The raven twitched and glared at Haku without meaning to, causing the other to furrow his brows. He took a big swig of his water and sat the clear bottle back onto the table, picking up the permanent marker that lay beside the fruit platter. He scribbled his initials on the white cap, then tossed the sharpie away.

"He's looking for Ino," he mumbled, "he wants to ask her out."

"And you're jealous," Haku said this in less than a heartbeat. There was no hesitation, and his words were in more of a statement than a question.

Sasuke snorted, "Hn, I'm not jealous. I'm just annoyed is all. Every time we saw each other he would ramble on about how beautiful and funny she is. It gets annoying after a while," he crossed his arms and tilted his head back, sighing.

Haku smiled and ran his girly fingers through silky, brown hair, "I'm glad I don't have to deal with Zabuza-san talking about the beautiful women he meets," he giggled prettily.

Sasuke's right brow twitched, _That's because he's in love with you, idiot._

"Well, I need to get back to the set," Haku said with a sweet voice, "Itachi-san wants to talk to me about some scenes. Oh, which reminds me," he leaned forward, "the kissing scene is coming up, have you and Naruto-kun practiced?"

"Che, I wanted to talk to him about that, but I can never get a word in these days. Maybe once he asks her out, he'll shut up," Sasuke stood and began making himself a small sandwhich from the food on the table. Behind him, Haku smiled secretly.

"Alright then. But make sure you **do** practice," he then made his way back to the set, Zabuza meeting him half way. The taller, bulkier man started a conversation and Sasuke could practically hear Haku's feminine giggle as the guard talked about something funny that had happened earlier that morning.

God, he hated love.

xXxXx

Ino was sitting in her dressing room, reading through her script, when Naruto knocked. She turned toward the door and yelled for whoever it was to come in. The blond male slowly entered and gave Ino a nervous grin. He'd asked many girls out before and had been calm and collected about it, but Ino was a very strong girl and would probably castrate him if she thought he was only asking her out so he could get sex. He was sort of known as a pervert... somewhat.

"Oh, Naruto," she smiled, "do they need me on the set already? I thought I still had ten minutes."

"Uh, you do," he walked in front of her and gave her the most handsome smile he could muster, "I just wanted to ask you something."

Ino tilted her head to the side, but smiled back, "Yes?"

xXxXx

Silo helped Haruka down the sidewalk through the new terrain. The way they usually took to get to the studio from their school was being worked on, so they had to take a detour. Unfortunately, they were lost. Silo didn't tell the other boy, though, not wanting to worry him.

"Aren't detours supposed to take less time?" Haruka asked as he let his friend quide him.

The crow laughed nervously and looked around, noticing that they were going through a neighborhood instead of the busy streets of the city. He bit his lip, _What if I never find the way home? I lost track of the detour signs..._

"Little Miss! Is that you?.!"

Silo leaped about two feet in the air, startling Haruka. He mumbled his apologies and turned, blinking when Majik ran up to them, sporting a few more cuts on his cheeks. The strange child gave them a lopsided grin, but Haruka only looked straight ahead, not knowing what was going on.

"You already know I'm a boy," Silo pouted, "so stop calling me that."

"Sheesh, no need to sound so RUDE, little miss! And to think I was gonna help ya get outta this place. 'Cause I think ya two are lost," Majik crossed his arms and spit out the sour apple gum he was chewing, "if ya get lost here, ya end up in China."

Haruka raised a brow, "That's not true. Japan's an island, you can't end up in China if we're walking. Besides, we're not lost. Silo knows where we are."

Silo gave a sheepish smile, "Um, that's right. We're not lost at all."

Majik made a sound that was like a mix between a dog bark and a horse giving birth, "You're half a mile away from the city!" he ran around them and turned, jogging in place, "come on, chillun'!" he said in an Alabama tone. To Kill a Mockingbird came to Silo's mind and he frowned, thinking of Tom Robinson's big nostrils, "I'll lead the way! Just make sure ya both march like Nazis! I'm not gonna be a leader without an army!" he began marching through the field beside the sidewalk, the tall grass reaching his knees.

Haruka let himself be guided, trusting Silo like a seeing eye dog. Not that he saw the other boy as a dog or anything...

"Sooooo," Majik started a conversation as they walked through the large field of grass, "where are ya headin' to in the city?" it was strange how he spoke. He'd mix Japanese with English, but still have his weird accent... it was strange, but Silo found it very funny.

"The U.A.S.," Haruka spoke up.

Majik suddenly whipped around and walked backwards, seeming to know exactly where he was going, "Ya serious? Are your parents actors?"

"My chichiue," Silo answered.

"My Otosan," Haruka spoke afterwards.

"Hmmmmmm," Majik tapped his chin with a bandaged finger, "that's pretty cool. My Step-brother goes there sometimes 'cause he knows Uchiha Itachi," he gave them a wide smile, "they work together and stuff, but I never get to see what they do. He says it's just stuff," he scoffed and kicked up a wad of dirt and grass, "just stuff my BUTT!" he yelled loud enough for the entire world to hear, "I bet they're having sex like HORNY BUNNIES!"

Haruka had covered his ears before he got the having sex part. But Silo was not so lucky, since he needed both hands to guide Haruka. So he kept walking with a tomato red face.

"Okie dokie, go under this fence and BAM! You're in the parking lot of U.A.S.," Majik grabbed the bottom of the old fence and it easily lifted, the rusty wires leaving dirt on his hands, "hey, hey, hey, do ya think I could come visit ya guys sometime? It gets pretty boring at my house. My dad always wants me to sit still, but I can't! I'm an energetic person!.!" Majik's voice boomed throughout the clearing, sending a flock of birds into the sky.

"I can tell," Haruka mumbled, "and sure, I suppose you could--"

"AWESOME! I'll see ya 'round then! FARVEL!(1)" then Majik dropped the bottom of the fence and took off like a bottle rocket, laughing like a hyena.

Silo giggled a bit before lifting the fence back up, "Go straight ahead, I'll tell you when to stop."

Haruka did as he was told and walked forward, hearing the sound of crunching leaves under his school shoes. He heard Silo tell him to stop, then he felt his hands being taken by the other boy's. He smiled and they both walked into the building, right when Naruto ran out of Ino's room with a shit-eating grin on his tan face.

"She said yes!" he shouted, causing everyone to look at him strangely.

"Yes to what?" Silo asked as Haruka left to go say hello to his own father.

Naruto blinked, then chuckled nervously, "Um... yes to a date."

"Oh..." Silo pouted, "Ino-chan? But..." _but I thought you liked Uchiha-san, Chichiue..._

xXxXx

Sasuke sat in the darkness of his living room, the moon shining in through the sliding glass door beside the sofa. The light reflected off the surface of the pool outside, waves of light blue flowing over Sasuke's obsidian orbs. He was slumped over on the couch, his head resting on his folded arms over the back of the furniture, his gaze on the long, empty hallway.

He and Itachi were going to have dinner once he arrived in an hour, but until then, Sasuke had nothing to do. He'd tried watching television, but nothing interesting was on; he tried playing DDR (Naruto had brought it over and decided to leave it there until his next visit), but failed; and he'd even taken a long, soaking bath, but... you can only stay in the tub so long before you prune up.

The raven blinked slowly, then lifted his head as he saw something shift in the darkness of his bedroom at the very end of the hall. There was an outline of unruly hair and...

Sasuke's breath hitched.

Striking blue eyes... but they weren't Naruto's. They were slanted like a Siamese cat's, narrow and outlined by perfect, long eyelashes.

"Sanji-sensei..." he got up from the couch and swore he saw the other male taking off his clothes in the bedroom. It was something so familiar, something that used to happen in his everyday life until the car crash... He was so desperate to believe it was him, not an illusion.

Being left alone without Naruto's bright presence was starting to make him hallucinate, and he chuckled at the thought. Did that loud idiot really have that much of an impact on his life?

_"Come to bed, Sasuke-kun," _the illusion whispered to him, its smile so warm.

The actor didn't stop his hurried steps and he made it to the room without the man disappearing, his hope skyrocketing. He reached a hand out and touched a tan cheek, the heat sending a tingle through his entire body. His dark eyes widened and his lips parted slowly.

"You're here..." he almost choked on his words, his stomach tying itself in knots, his heart clenching in his chest. He felt like he was in high school again when the warm arms of his teacher enveloped him in a much awaited embrace. Even his scent was there... that same intoxicating cologne that would send Sasuke's mind reeling.

_"Of course I'm here,"_ the much taller blond man playfully ruffled the dark hair of his student, and he placed a kiss on the exposed forehead, _"I'm always here, aren't I?"_

Sasuke tightly shut his eyes and wrapped his arms tightly around the bigger man, the both of them falling back onto the bed. The mattress creaked as the raven leaned up and kissed his teacher's neck, feeling as if they'd done it just the night before... but there was so much need.

Sasuke smiled and he heard the man groan softly, just like he always did when they began foreplay. He knew that Sanji-sensei didn't die... it was just a horrible dream. That's what he told himself when it happened, and now... he was finally waking up. Sanji-sensei was with him now. Kakashi was a dream, Silo was a dream...

Naruto was a dream.

_"I look a lot like him, don't I?"_

Sasuke lifted his face and looked into beautiful blue eyes, "What?"

Sanji-sensei pointed to a photo on the desk beside the bed. It was a picture of Naruto, the male grinning that brilliant smile of his.

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"_I look a lot like him... the man in the picture." _

_I... look a lot like him..._

_Silo... don't you think so?_

Sanji-sensei disappeared and Sasuke found himself falling, only to hit something soft as his eyes closed, then blinked back open again. Silo was standing above him, looking at him with a cute smile, while Naruto sat on the floor next to him, eyeing the photo of Sanji-sensei on the lamp table next to the couch.

Sasuke took a slow breath and sat up, realizing that it had all been a dream. Or maybe... he fell asleep again and was dragged back into this dream... His body was still in bed with his sensei, and the blond here... was just a form of Sasuke's desire for his teacher to be with him, even in his dreams.

"I look a lot like him," Naruto spoke as he looked at the photo, "who is he?"

The raven wouldn't answer, he just kept staring ahead at the blue-eyed blond, wishing he would turn into his teacher. After a minute of silence, Naruto made a sound of annoyance and shifted closer to the couch.

"Fine, don't tell me, BUT..." he gave a cat-like grin, "I want to tell you how my date with Ino went. I'm sure you want juicy details."

Sasuke shooks his head, trying to rid himself of his idiotic thoughts. The place he was in now wasn't the dream, it was his reality, "If you two had sex, then I don't want to hear."

"Nah, too early for sex. I actually really like Ino, you know? So, I'm going slow with her. Anyway," he got up and plopped down on the cusion Sasuke's feet were settled upon, pulling Silo onto his lap, the little boy giggling, "we went to dinner at this really cool Italian place, then we went to play miniature golf, and then we went to go see this horror flick. A Korean movie called, um, The Host, I think. About a giant mutant fish," he snickered, "it wasn't scary, but it was really good. I couldn't understand a damn thing they were saying, so I had to read the subtitles, and--"

Sasuke sighed, "You're rambling, Dobe."

"Oh, right... sorry. But then I walked her home, we shared a good night kiss, and that's it," he pretended to giggle like a high school girl, only to annoy Sasuke and humor Silo.

The raven ran a hand through his hair and looked at the clock on the wall above the T.V.

_Itachi should be home in about twenty minutes... _Sasuke thought to himself.

On Naruto's lap, Silo leaned back and yawned, tired from playing cops and robbers with Haruka and Majik. The strange boy had dropped by, just like he'd said, and they'd played until they collapsed. And since Haruka knew the layout of the acting studio by heart, Silo didn't have to follow him around and help him do things. Not that he didn't enjoy it.

"Tired, musuko?" Naruto smiled and turned to give Sasuke a very childish pout, "do you mind if we crash here? I promise we'll be good, and we'll even stay out of the dining room so you and Itachi can have a nice, brotherly dinner."

Sasuke scowled, "I'd prefer it if you two stayed. Dinner alone with him gives me--"

"An orgasm," Naruto finished, as if they were playing madlibs.

"What are you, five?" Sasuke snarled.

"I'm going to verb my noun into your adjective noun," the blond purred.

Sasuke stared at him before just standing up and lifting Silo into his arms, "I'll put him in my room and you and I are going to camp out on the floor tonight. Actually, you are, I'll be sleeping on the couch."

"... No fair!" Naruto whined and latched onto Sasuke's pants, "I have back problems, you can't do this to me! Aren't we like brothers, Sasuke?.!"

"Far from brothers," the raven groaned and shook his leg free from the strong hold, taking Silo back to his bedroom and placing him on the soft, silky mattress. The boy immediately rolled over and snuggled into the warmth of the sheets, mumbling a "good night" to the young Uchiha. As Sasuke walked back into the living room, he saw Naruto sitting on the couch, glaring at him.

"I'm sleeping on the couch," he stated firmly.

Sasuke matched glare with glare, "This is **my **house."

"But **I'm** the guest."

They both continued to glare, until Sasuke cellphone began to ring, the tune matching Gazette's Anti Pop. He answered with an irritated tone, "Hello?"

_"You sound angry, Otouto, do you want me to send you another prostitute?" _Itachi asked loud enough for Naruto to hear. Sasuke flushed a dark red, despite his manly pride, and growled.

"What do you want?" he hissed dangerously.

_"Haku mentioned that you and Naruto-kun haven't practiced the kissing scene yet. Since he's at our home right now, why don't you two start?"_

"How did you know he was here?"

_"When you answered the phone, you sounded mad. Only Naruto-kun can rile you up so much, so I only assumed. Now, start practicing, I'll be home within fifteen minutes,"_ then Itachi hung up, leaving sasuke grumbling as he placed his cellphone on the kitchen counter.

"Can't get a man, so you have your brother get you little boys from the brothels?" Naruto snickered and teetered back and forth on the couch, "that's pretty hot, you child molester."

"It won't be so hot when I molest your son," Sasuke smirked and Naruto gasped.

"You wouldn't!"

Sasuke grabbed a movie script off of the lamp table and tossed it to Naruto, "I like the big boys," he said in a very New Yorkish way, "Here, we need to start practicing for the filming tomorrow."

The blond flipped through and found the scenes need for the next day. He blinked, "Oh yeah, the kissing scene... is that why you're not using a script? You think you're such a great kisser?"

"No, I memorized all of my lines and I don't need the script for a kiss," Sasuke chuckled, his anger for his friend disappearing as quickly as it came. He stood in the center of the living room, waiting patiently for his acting companion to lift himself off the sofa.

Once Naruto did, he led him to the kitchen table and the blond looked at him strangely.

"You shove me down onto the table," the raven said, not bothered, "it's a passionate scene, Dobe, in a classroom. Where else would you shove me down at?"

"Between my legs," Naruto didn't miss a heartbeat.

"Hn, lovely."

Sasuke began, mustering all of the feelings he could into the role, but then he remembered his dream and stopped, seeing Sanji-sensei when he looked up at Naruto. He shook his head and tried to begin again, still seeing his old lover. At that moment, he asked himself if it was really such a good idea to make a movie on a time in hiw own life.

"Sensei, I--" he made his voice young, just like the first day he and Naruto acted together, "I know you're married, but..." he bit his bottom lip, "but I had to tell you...!"

Naruto pressed Sasuke back, until the shorter man's hips were against the ledge of the table. He looked down at him with piercing eyes, actually sending a shiver up Sasuke's spine. Said actor swallowed, thinking that the other male was too similar to his teacher.

"Don't tell anyone," Naruto leaned in and brushed his lips against the other's, earning a small intake of breath, "I'll get fired... you'll get expelled..."

Sasuke shut his eyes and let large hands run up under his shirt, the warmth causing his stomach to flutter. Lips were pressed against his and his mind became numb. Naruto was just **too** much like Sanji-sensei, and Sasuke's swept away in a gust of old love.

Sasuke pressed back eagerly, his hips melding with Naruto's. His cheeks were dusted a light pink, while Naruto's remained their usual color. He moaned when he was bent back over the table and he lifted his legs, wrapping them around the blond's waist, elicting a delicious groan from his partner. Their lips meshed together and tongues clashed, moans and grunts echoing throughout the large apartment.

The raven pulled back, panting, chest heaving, "S-Sanji-sensei, I--"

"You taste like a girl," then a pair of soft lips latched onto Sasuke's neck and he let out a whimper as Naruto sucked on the flesh, nipping and biting.

"Oh God..."

A strong hand ran up a smooth stomach and chest, but stopped when the front door to the apartment opened, Itachi stepping in with a bag of sushi in his grasp. Naruto pulled away and grinned, "Yo!" he greeted him.

Itachi nodded his head in acknowledgment and sat the bag down on the table, right next to Sasuke's flushed face. He smirked, "I came home early so I could walk in on you two. I must say, you got really into it, Otouto."

Sasuke growled and punched Itachi in the stomach.

**(1)- I think farvel is Norwegian for good-bye... or something similar to that? Tell me if I'm wrong, Xa Oppa :Sweatdrop:**

**Next chapter: Sasuke confronts Naruto and they get into a fight, Silo cries his heart out, and some things... just crumble apart.**


	17. Feelings

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

**This is important! Some person stole my story "Dotless Dice" and made a Digimon fic out of it! Can you believe it?.! I was hoping this wouldn't happen to me, but it has. So I told that fucker off... and I spoke with one of her personal friends, and she made her delete it XD Man, am I good. Thanks for HK Keiji and Endless Rain for tellin' that bitch off! Yosh! You both get my endless love!**

**You see some of Naruto's bad side in this chap and a view into Sasuke's forming feelings. And it's not as sad as you thought, people XD**

**Two weeks later, after many failed attempts at the kissing scene...**

Itachi sat in his director's chair, dark eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. People knew it was never a good thing when he had such a foul face, and it was always bad news for the person who caused it... but the workers at the studio knew that seemingly oblivious Naruto didn't know any better. That poor, stupid soul.

"Cut!" the older Uchiha snarled, uncrossing his legs and moving his lips into a scowl. He was becoming pissed and the reason for said frustrated anger? There were two, actually; Uzumaki Naruto and Yamanaka Ino. They were constantly flirting and getting kissy with each other during breaks, meaning Naruto was in a good mood... he wasn't supposed to be in a good mood for the kissing scene, god dammit!

Sasuke was always annoyed, his arms crossed as he stood on the built stage, leaning against one of the chalkboards. He'd thought they would fly through the kissing scene since it went so smoothly during practice the night before, but Naruto had to ruin it by being so ridiculously happy! It would usually be a good thing, but not at the moment. They'd gone through eighteen takes and Sasuke was starting to get irritated. If this didn't stop soon he was going to have to have a chat with the other man.

Beside Itachi, Hidan eyed the stress toy being squeezed to death in his best friend's grip. He grinned, knowing some drama was going to unfold soon. _Yes! This is going to be just like a soap opera!_

"Naruto!" Ino chirped and gave him a peck on the lips once she reached him, "you're doing great!"

Sasuke frowned. Well, just like any other woman she was good at lying.

"Thanks, but we haven't gotten the kissing scene done," the blond had the decency to sigh in frustration. Wasn't that right given to Sasuke? He was the one who was constantly being molested every damn take! "Maybe Sasuke-teme's not desirable enough for me?" he snickered, causing Ino to giggle too.

Clenching his fists, Sasuke decided enough was enough. He was sick of being molested by someone who reminded him of his old teacher and he was sick of having everyone watching him be a submissive uke. He stalked over to the chattering blondes and and yanked Naruto back, out of the conversation.

Ino blinked, then pouted, "Sasuke-kun, what're you--"

"I need to speak with Naruto. Why don't you go get him a bottle of water? He'll need it for later scenes," Sasuke lied, tugging the blue-eyed actor with him behind many clothing racks set about the studio. Itachi watched them go, thankful that his little brother pulled the man aside. Because if he, himself, had done it, there would've been a fight and many black eyes.

Naruto yanked his arm away and glared at the raven, "I was having a delightful conversation, just so you know! And why do you look so pissed?" he noticed the livid scowl on his friend's face. Sasuke never looked that mad. Well, he'd never made that face since Naruto met him.

"What has me so pissed is that you're not taking this seriously! We're shooting a movie, dobe, so get your ass on board!" the raven growled, looking up three inches into Naruto's cerulean eyes. Just because he was short didn't mean he wasn't vicious. "We already practiced the kissing scene last night and it went perfect!"

_Too perfect, _his mind spoke up, but Sasuke shook his head and pushed it away.

"People can make mistakes, Teme--"

"They're not mistakes, they're errors. So fix them! You've been hugging and kissing Ino all morning, and you've been on cloud nine. I know you're happy with having a girlfriend, but you need to focus and **act.** This scene requires emotions, not giddy teenage giggles from a grown man!"

Naruto sent him a glare. It was a menacing one, much darker than any other ones he sent Sasuke before.

"I **am** taking this seriously, asshole!" the blond retorted loudly, causing some people in the studio to turn towards them. His fists were clenched, as well as his jaw.

"No, you're not," the younger Uchiha seethed, some of what he was saying wasn't even about his acting. Some of it was about Silo. The blond hadn't been spending as much time with his son as usual, because of his constant dates with Ino. That led to Silo staying at Kakashi's a lot, playing with Haruka and his new friend Majik, who Sasuke had the pleasure to meet on one occasion. Unfortunately, Naruto had been with Ino the day he met the child. "You're spending too much time with her and you're not focusing on anything else."

Naruto looked down at him in astonishment, "This isn't even about the acting anymore, is it? You're jealous! You're mad because I'm not spending that much time with you anymore, right?.! You're so... so... selfish!"

At this time, everyone in the studio was looking at them, whispering to each other, wondering what was going on. Sasuke hissed, "Selfish? You're calling **me** selfish?.! I'm not worried about myself, I'm worried about your career and your son! You're spending so much time with Ino that you're forgetting about your son! He's always at Kakashi's, hardly with you!"

"That's not true--"

"No wonder his mother left you!" the words left his mouth before he could stop them. "You're the selfish one! You only care about yourself, fulfilling your own pleasures! You don't even think about Silo! Sometimes I wonder if he'd be better off with his mother!"

Naruto snapped, punched Sasuke across the face, right below the eye, "How dare you say that!" he was furious, eyes watered with tears of pure anger. "I do whatever I can to make him happy, I try to give him a good life, and--" he didn't get to finish as he was punched in the stomach. He coughed, but then growled and launched at the raven, grazing his jaw with his fist. Naruto fought with blind fury, while Sasuke fought... not just because of Silo... but because of himself. Because of his confused feelings.

Ever since the kiss...

xXxXx

Majik looked up from his drawing of a gingerbread cookie men screaming in agony as their limbs were bitten off by autistic children, to see Silo staring ahead at the television screen, even when nothing was on. It was just the reflection of Haruka's bedroom, the shape of Haruka moving about in the room, searching for his own sketchbook (he was so used to his room, he could roam around it like he was able to see it). He bit the eraser on his Lion King pencil and tilted his head to the side.

"Little Miss?" he asked loudly, making Silo jump and turn. "Are ya ok? You're starin' off into space..." he suddenly perked up and smiled a toothy grin, his slightly overlapping bottom teeth now being noticed by Silo. "OH! Can ya see dead people in the tellie?"

"Tellie...?" Silo giggled and smiled. "No. I'm just... thinking."

"About?"

"Leave him alone," Haruka spoke up as he plopped down on the floor in front of them, sketchbook in his lap. He lifted up one of Majik's rainbow colored pencils and began to draw, even though he really didn't know much about what anything looked like anymore. "It's best not to press into another person's business."

"Who asked ya?" Majik said in broken English.

Silo gave them both a silly smile, even though he knew Haruka couldn't see it, "Don't worry about me, I'm fine."

"Ya sure?" Majik persisted, not wanting his cute little friend to feel sad. He never liked it when girls cried.

The crow gave a hesitent nod, "I'm sure."

xXxXx

Since Silo had gotten home, Naruto hadn't spoken a single word to him. The male was more concerned with scheduling another date with Ino over the phone. Silo was used to it now... but it still hurt. He believed that if his chichiue had chosen Sasuke to be with, then all three of them would be doing things together; like a family. Ino was, well, she was a good person and she was fun to be around, but Sasuke was just more caring and thoughtful. He would think about Silo before planning any dates...

The little crow sat alone on his bed, staring down at his homework. He was supposed to do a few math multiplication problems. He was at the age to learn basic math, but his school placed him in advanced classes. He knew most multiplication, but he needed help on a few problems that confused him.

He leaped off of his bed and went downstairs, searching around for his father, "Chichiue?" he called. There was laughter coming from the living room and he made his way into the large room, finding Naruto sitting on the couch, talking on his cellphone. It was probably Ino.

"He had the nerve to call me selfish! Can you believe that?.!" Naruto ran a hand through unruly hair. "That bastard, all I do is take care of my son!"

Silo's eyes widened a fraction and he bit his bottom lip, his eyes watering. His stomach lurched and he let out a quiet sob, moving himself to the kitchen so he could cry there. He was usually pretty strong, but... his own father, the person he looked up to and loved dearly, hadn't even said his name when reffering to him. To most, that wouldn't be a big deal, but to Silo it was. Naruto was always so devoted to his son, always giving him cute nicknames and teasing him... but now it was like the man didn't care about him anymore. He just called him his son and resumed his life like he wasn't even there.

_He's happy with Ino-chan, though... _he rubbed at his eyes until the skin around them turned a raw pink. _I want Chichiue to be happy, even if it means he forgets about me. _His sobs became louder and his tears dripped onto his homework paper, smudging the answers already written in pen. He heard shuffling, then there was a loud "Silo! What's wrong?". Lifting his tear-stained face, he looked up at his father. Even though he told himself he wanted Naruto to be happy... he felt anger swell inside of him. And he voiced the bitter feeling.

"Wh-why am I only second now?" he whispered hoarsely. "You used to tell me I'd always be your favorite..." he sniffled. "But now Ino-chan is..."

Naruto's body stiffened, _Sasuke was right... _

"You don't play with me anymore. You always drop me off at Kakashi-san's and go to see Ino-chan. I don't... I don't fit in with your life anymore, Chichiue. It makes me cry," he sobbed some more, "and it makes my chest hurt," he stood up and wiped his eyes furiously. "And you even sound mad at Uchiha-san! Chichiue... don't be mad at Uchiha-san, he's the only one who still cares for me..."

That sentence made Naruto snap and he glared at Silo, despite his son's sadness. "The only one who cares for you?.!" he yelled, making Silo stare up at him in fear. "I'm your father, I care about you more than anyone! Why would you say something stupid like that, huh?.!" he reached down to touch Silo, but the crow flinched away, which surprised Naruto. He then realized how loud and angry his voice was. "S-Silo, I--"

It was too late. The small boy took off, running out of the house, his homework paper fluttering to the ground.

_What... what's wrong with me...? _Naruto rubbed his face with his palms.

xXxXx

Itachi looked over at his younger brother as they sat together at the bar. For the second time in his lifetime, he had to tell Hidan to stay home so he and Sasuke could talk alone. It was very rare to happen and Hidan understood. The only time it happened before was when Sanji-sensei had died. Itachi knew Sasuke needed to be comforted then, just like now.

Sasuke took a swallow of his beer, licking his chapped lips as he stared ahead at nothing. He sighed and looked over at his brother. "I don't regret what I said about Silo..." his voice was low. "But I **do** regret what I said about his wife. I shouldn't have said something like that..."

"We all make mistakes."

"No, we make errors. They're not mistakes until we refuse to fix them..." he recalled himself saying almost the same thing to Naruto early in the day, during their fight. "But you can never fix things with that stubborn fucker," he chuckled bitterly.

Itachi smiled a bit and in a sudden burst of brotherly affection, he placed his hand on Sasuke's head. "You can try, though, correct? I'm sure Naruto-kun would be able to see the sincerity in your apology."

"Che, I'm not apologizing, I just want to fix things," Sasuke took another swig of his alcoholic beverage. "That doesn't require an apology, Aniki. I could convey my feelings just as well with a punch to the face."

"You're not acting like yourself tonight, Otouto," Itachi commented. "Tell me, what has you so... confused?"

"Confused? I'm not confused," It was true though. He knew he wasn't attracted to the blond just a few weeks ago, then there was the kiss... He'd told himself he only felt something because Naruto looked so much like Sanji-sensei. But then he began noticing small things about his friend that he hadn't ntoiced before.

The way his nose scrunched up when he pouted, how his left eye would twitch when he was nervous, the melody his laughter held, the perfect cheekbones, the sparkling of his blue eyes when he was happy, and how stubborn he would be, even in the smallest situations.

It bothered him, because he found those things... attractive. Those traits were very different when compared to Sanji-sensei, so he actually believed he was starting to "like" Naruto. He wanted to kill himself for even thinking those thoughts, but they were unavoidable.

Itachi smirked, "Yes, you are. You can't lie to your Aniki," he ruffled Sasuke's hair. "I think... you're finally starting to get over your old lover. You're beginning to like someone else and you're confused."

"Confused..." Sasuke said the word in a low voice.

"Because what you're feeling for Naruto-kun is different from how you felt toward Sanji-sensei."

"Yeah..." he trailed off, then glared at Itachi. "Wait, no!" he snarled. "I don't like that dobe at all!"

"I can tell you already know the feelings aren't there just because they both look similar," Itachi gave him a smirk. "I have to admit... I never thought you would actually gain any feelings toward him. This will be troublesome, though, since he's straight."

Sasuke remained quiet. He sat his beer down and sighed.

Just one kiss and his life began crumbling apart.

xXxXx

Lying on the couch, Sasuke stared up at the ceiling fan, watching as it spun around fast enough to make him light-headed and dizzy. His thoughts were all on Naruto, despite his attempt to keep them on something more important, like work. But he growled when he realized the blond was part of his job, too! Dammit!

He rolled over and closed his eyes. The sudden attraction to his friend was annoying him. It wasn't even fair. He didn't want these feelings, he didn't want to see the blond behind his closed eyelids. But he did chuckle when the vision of Naruto was him cooking, horribly burning a bunch of pancakes.

Black eyes snapped open when his doorbell rang. He sat up slowly and lowered his feet to the ground, standing up and straightening his clothes. Itachi had a key, so it couldn't be him. He trudged over to the door and opened it, surprised to see a soaking wet Naruto. The man stood there, his entire body dripping wet. It was then that Sasuke noticed it was storming outside.

He stepped back, hesitently. "Come in..."

Naruto gave him a dull smile and he leaned forward, wrapping strong arms around Sasuke's thin shoulders. He nuzzled his face in a warm neck and inhaled, droplets of water falling from the tips of his hair and wetting the raven's nice shirt. His grip became tighter, a clang of thunder rolling through the skies outside as the door remained open. "I'm sorry. You were right... I suck as a father."

Sasuke let his muscles relax and he hugged his friend back, not caring the least bit about how the blond was soaking his clothes and leaving a puddle of water on the carpet. He stumbled back and they both fell onto the couch together, his body squashed underneath Naruto's. He looked back up at the ceiling fan, the dampness of his friend's body not hindering the amount of heat his skin produced. He would wait until Naruto spoke, knowing he was probably upset.

Naruto kept his arms around Sasuke. Hugs were his way of apologizing. He usually just said sorry, but... with Sasuke, it was different. He couldn't just apologize and hope it would be ok. "I find someone I like... but my happiness is ruining Silo's..." he whispered. He let go of his pride and let himself be comforted by the raven's presence and warm body. "Should I break up with Ino? I really like her, but... Silo comes first..."

Sasuke noticed how the tone of voice was so trusting, like he would accept any answer he gave him.

"When you're a parent, the child **always** comes first," he started. "Your happiness has to fit in with theirs."

The blond lifted himself up slowly and looked down at his friend's face with a smile, even when he saw the small bruise from his punch. He wouldn't admit it, but when they fought, he kept himself from hurting the raven. "You're the best, you know that? I don't know what I would do without you. You're like... another Sai," he grinned when Sasuke scowled. Crawling back, he let Sasuke sit up. "Thanks again... if you hadn't have confronted me today... I probably would've still been oblivious to what was happening to Silo."

"Because you're a complete moron," the young Uchiha smirked.

"Hey, asshole! I apologize and you have the nerve to call me names?.! You know what, I hate you and I hope you die!" the blond crossed his arms and glared, but not like early that day.

"I'll probably die soon, since I'll have to deal with your stupidity for the rest of my career," he laughed. His feelings... he knew that they were somewhat real. Just the way he bantered with the other man, it made him feel good. It made him feel so... alive.

"Fuck you!" Naruto grinned, but the look slipped off of his face and he laughed nervously. "Um, yeah, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about... I sorta scared Silo off... and I called Kakashi and I found out that Silo was over there... do you think you could give me a ride to his place?"

Sasuke climbed off the couch and went to the hallway closet and grabbed an umbrella, tossing it to Naruto. "If you could walk here, I'm sure you could walk to Kakashi's. Think of it as punishment for making Silo run off," he growled.

The blond huffed and walked to the door, but didn't complain. He turned and have Sasuke a bright grin. "Thanks again, Teme. I'll break up with Ino... afterall, Silo's more important," he smiled and went through the door that still remained open, closing it behind him.

Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through black locks. He looked at his dripping wet sofa cushions and the puddle of water on the carpet by the door, damp footprints almost everywhere, his brows furrowed together, making a crease in his forehead. He might've liked the blond... but he was going to beat the shit out of him after he cleaned all of that up.

**Sorry it's short, minna! I'll make up for it, I always do!**

**Next Chapter: Sasuke falls ill and blacks out, his dreams filled with memories of the past.**


	18. The Pain We Feel

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. But it's almost my b-day... maybe K. Masashi'll be nice and let me own Sai for a day?**

**Yeah, this chapter won't have a lot of Naruto in it, but it clears things up with Sanji-sensei, and it gives you the basic going ons of the movie they're filming... so I don't have to type out the movie in any future chapter XD I'm so lame, forgive me. AND my b-day's on Wednesday! Even though I know it's gonna suck... but my friends are gettin' me a cake that says "Happy birthday, you have a small penis"! XD Yay! A Sai cake! I love it!**

**In the flashbacks, know that it isn't all of the story. Just the important parts. And know that people can change A LOT from the age of fifteen to twenty-two. So... Sasuke's NOT out of character, he's just at a very akward stage in his life. And Itachi was a smoker! XD**

**I better get lots of reviews for this long ass chapter!**

Haruka held Silo in his arms, trying to keep the wet boy warm while Kakashi went to get some dry clothes. He'd awoken to the sound of frantic banging on the front door and heard his dad shuffling down the hall to answer it. When he could hear Silo's heart-wrenching sobs outside, he got out of bed quickly, not paying any attention to the pain he felt when he stubbed his toe on the side of the bed.

So there he was, holding his friend against his chest while he cried his eyes out. He didn't ask what happened, didn't need to. The only reason Silo would cry would be if something happened with Naruto. Haruka knew enough to assume that Naruto was the reason for Silo's happiness **and** sadness.

Kakashi came in a few minutes later, one of Haruka's outfits in his arms. He placed them down on the floor next to the two boys and gave Silo a kind smile when the crow slowly looked up at him from his friend's warm arms.

"These don't fit Haruka anymore, so go ahead and keep them," he straightened himself and headed to the kitchen. "I'm going to make you some soba, to warm you up."

Silo sniffled and pulled himself back from Haruka, wiping his red eyes and flushed cheeks. He was shaking from the cold, but he didn't care. Smiling a bit, his mumbled a "thank you" before grabbing the dry clothes and standing up.

Haruka let his useless eyes follow the sound of Silo's footsteps, until he heard the bathroom door close. He got up and went into the kitchen to see if he could help his dad with the cooking. "Otosan, what do you think happened?" he kept himself away from the stove, not wanting to have boiling water splatter on his skin.

"Naruto-kun called me a little while ago, actually," Kakashi spoke up. "He said he'd yelled at Silo, but the boy ran off before he could apologize. It's not that big of a deal, but when you think about it, Naruto is all Silo has. He doesn't have a mother, uncle, aunt, or cousins; just his father. Children like Silo become upset easily when the one person they love the most turns on them," he scratched his chin and continued making the soba, pulling a bowl out from the cabinet. "Would you feel the same way if I began yelling at you?"

Thinking about the question, Haruka shook his head, "I wouldn't think... you turned on me. People get angry sometimes..."

Kakashi poured the noodles into the bowl and turned off the stove, grabbing a pair of chopsticks out of a drawer. He placed the food on the table and turned to smile at his son. "You understand that because you've been around a lot of people growing up. You still see your mother, her husband, and his boy, Shikamaru. Silo grew up with only his father."

Haruka nodded, understanding. When Silo walked into the kitchen and sat at the table, dressed in one of Haruka's old outfits, Kakashi chuckled. He beckoned for him to eat and looked at the front door when there was a loud knock.

_It must be Naruto-kun, _ he went to the door, leaving Silo and Haruka alone.

"Silo!" Naruto called as soon as the large door was opened. He didn't ask for Kakashi invitation inside, he just ran in and sighed thankfully when he saw his little boy at the table, eating. Silo looked up at him, but lowered his gaze back down to his soba, a few noodles being slurped between his pink lips. "Silo, I'm sorry," he bent down next to the crow and looked at his puffy eyes. "I didn't mean to yell at you--"

"Did you make up with Uchiha-san...?" Silo's voice was soft.

Naruto blinked. "Wh-what...? Um, yeah, I did..."

The boy gave him a tiny smile. "Good. When you and Uchiha-san have fights, you're not yourself. You get angry at people and yell at them... even when you don't mean to."

Pulling Silo into his arms, the blond grinned. "Forgiving me just like that, huh?"

"But you're my Chichiue," Silo wrapped his arms around strong shoulders. "I can't stay mad at you... You didn't mean it when you yelled at me."

Kakashi stood in the kitchen, his hand on Haruka's head. "Naruto-kun, unlike Silo who took off his shoes at the door, you're trailing mud around my apartment."

The blond looked behind him at the dirty footprints and laughed nervously. "Sorry... I'll clean that up right now."

xXxXx

As soon as Sasuke entered the studio, he was attacked by what he thought to be a vicious dog. But it was, in fact, an overly happy Silo. The little boy clung to him and gave him a grin so Naruto-like it was scary. The raven even shuddered at the look. Grins weren't always a good thing...

"I drank ten carbonated sodas, Uchiha-san!" he chirped. "And I ate seven boxes of strawberry pocky! Without throwing up! Isn't that cool?.!" his voice was too loud.

Sasuke managed to yank Silo off of him, sending a glare to Naruto. But he lightened his gaze when he saw the reason why Naruto wasn't paying attention to his son's high level of sugar intake. He was talking to Ino. He didn't have the stupid grin or the snorting laughter... he held a serious expression. In front of him, Ino smiled a bit, nodding every so often.

A few moments later, Naruto gave the girl a kiss on the cheek and turned, spotting Sasuke. He waved and gave a dopey grin, which for some reason, made Sasuke's heart start hammering in his chest. He punched himself in the chest, telling his heart to stop it. He was only attracted to the blond, he didn't **like** him... so it shouldn't be his heart throbbing, it should've been his co--

"She's the first girl that didn't punch me in the nuts!" Naruto cheered happily. "I swear, a punch from her would've kept me from producing more little Naruto Jr.s!"

"Then I wish she would've punched you," Sasuke mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Oh," Naruto tapped his chin, then furrowed his brows once he got a good look at his friend. "Hey... I just noticed but... you look like shit."

Sasuke twitched and scowled. "Do I? Probably because I was up until midnight cleaning up the water you splashed around my apartment last night. And I must ask, do you have my umbrella with you?"

"..." Naruto laughed nervously. "Nope, sorry. Silo and I spent the night at Kakashi's place and I sort of left it there this morning... But don't worry! I'll give it back to you by tomorrow, trust me!"

The raven rolled his eyes and brushed past Naruto, not really wanting to hear his loud voice at the moment. He'd woken up feeling like shit, but he knew he couldn't call off the day's work. It was the first warm day in months and it was the perfect time to film the scenes they needed to outside. So he'd gotten ready, despite his slight fever and pounding headache, and left the apartment (Itachi had left two hours beforehand).

Before he could reach the refreshment table, Hidan jumped in front of him and grinned. He was surprised to find that the silver-haired man didn't have his red and black cloak on today. He hardly ever took it off, but Sasuke knew there had to be a good reason... But... Hidan wasn't the type of person to do things for a reason.

"Find your script, Sasuke-chan! We're headin' outside!" Hidan pumped his fist in the air, then took off running to tell everyone else. Sasuke lips twitched downward into a frown. It seems like he wouldn't be able to escape the loud people today.

xXxXx

Sasuke ran down the street, rain soaking his body. The crew had set up the large machines on the streets that reached up to the tops of buildings, spraying mist and water to make it seem as if it were raining. The actor ran down the slop of the street, his heart beating loudly in his chest. Not just because of his speed as he chased a black automobile, but because his slowly sickening body couldn't keep up with his will to keep going. He knew he should've stopped, but refused to, wanting to get the scene done.

It was already trudging up long forgotten memories.

He wiped at his eyes furiously as he continued his quick pace, the bright red beams of the car still visible through the downpour. He called out, his voice desperate, just like he remembered it had been that day many years ago. He remembered exactly how the scene played out.

Naruto stood inside one of the restuarants on the street (along with the rest of the cast and some of the crew. The rest were outside working the machines), watching Sasuke acting from there. He looked past his reflection on the glass, frowning a bit as he noticed how Sasuke stumbled every so often. He wasn't sure if it was part of his acting... or if he really was going to end up splattered on the ground.

Itachi seemed to notice that too, because his blank face changed to worry. He opened his brown umbrella and stepped out of the shop, quickly walking down the sidewalk outside, so he could reach the spot where Sasuke was supposed to stop at near the end of the scene.

Beside Naruto, Hidan became alert as well. He ran after Itachi, without an umbrella, his clothes getting soaked immediately in the fake rain. The blond knew that Sasuke might fall, but... Itachi and Hidan were acting as if something could go terribly wrong. Did they know something he didn't?

Deciding to follow them, Naruto borrowed Haku's umbrella and hurried out, watching as Sasuke ran down the street after the car that supposedly had him in it. It was almost time for Sasuke to stop running, and for the car to be hit by the stunt truck.

Sasuke's breaths were coming out in loud huffs and the eyes of watching fans inside of the shops were blurred by his desire to catch up to the car. He didn't even realize he had ran past the point where he was supposed to stop. He was trapped in his own memories, his own guilt.

_I can't let Sanji-sensei die..! _ He told himself as he continued to run, his legs wobbling beneath him.

On the sidelines, Itachi's eyes widened a fracion and Hidan's face was full of shock. Itachi was about to run forward, but Hidan shoved him back, knocking the shorter man against the street pole. He ran into the street.

"Sasuke!" his voice was loud and serious. "Sasuke, stop running! You missed the ending point!" when the younger boy didn't stop, he moved faster, trying to catch up to him. "SASUKE!.!" he was moving blindly now.

Naruto was frozen in place. _He's going to get hit by the stunt truck..._ The man driving the large vehicle should've been driving down the long stretch of road behind the buildings now. He felt his stomach drop and he gripped Haku's umbrella tightly. There was nothing he could do, but watch. He wouldn't be able to reach Sasuke in time, even if he tried.

Silo and Haruka pushed themselves in front of the crew inside of the shop, looking through the glass to see what was going on. But Ino tried to pull them back, not wanting them to see anything horrible if something bad were to happen. But Silo slipped under her arms and ran to the glass, just in time to see the truck shoot out from behind the buildings.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion.

Hidan skidded on the slippery pavement and shoved Sasuke backwards, yelling "You're a fuckin' idiot!" at him, before his violet eyes were lit up by the bright lights of the oncoming truck. Before anyone knew what happened, the giant truck smashed into the black car, sending the back end into Hidan.

Itachi watched all of this, his usually calm expression shattered. He looked horrified as he watched his friend's body be slammed into the ground, then yanked up when the car began to flip, glass flying everywhere. The car flipped three more times before coming to a lurching stop, yards away from where it was hit. Hidan's body had been flung out of the way during the last flip and he was lying on the road, his clothes dirty, sliced up, and soaked with blood. The rain had washed the gel out of his hair and it was in waves, tangled and covering his cut face. Blood was dripping from a huge gash in his head, drenching his hair in the crimson color.

Sasuke fell to the ground, his head slamming against the pavement. His vision flooded and he felt his skin burning, the fake rain stopping, droplets slipping down his cheeks and temples, as if he were crying. His chest heaved up and down slowly, darkness closing in on him. Black began flooding over his eyes as he heard the crew hollering at each other. The faint sound of an ambulance could be heard in the distance. He turned his head a bit and saw Itachi crouched down beside Hidan, eyes wide. Then he saw Naruto coming towards him, looking as if he were about to cry.

He chuckled inwardly.

_You're such a dobe... _his mind closed off slowly and he drifted off as he was pulled into strong arms, his fever consuming him.

xXxXx 7 Years Ago xXxXx

_A younger Sasuke sat next to his small group of friends on the bleachers in the gym. All of the 10th grade students who had gym first period were sitting in the large place, waiting for their teacher to come. There were four gym teachers, and each one would take a section of the grade for the entire year. Sasuke crossed his fingers on his lap, going unoticed by all of his friends, except for Suigetsu(1). The silver-haired by grinned, flashing his sharp, pointy teeth. No one knew why he grinded them to points._

_"Ya hopin' we get Sanji-sensei? Eh, Sasuke?" he teased, knowing the boy had a huge crush on the blond teacher. His answer to the question was a huge blush on Sasuke's behalf. Back in these years, he was shy and akward, nothing like his older self._

_Karin turned, her long black hair up in a ponytail. She pushed her stylish glasses further up the bridge of her nose and gave her friend a wide smile. "You're so cute!" she purred, then nudged Sasuke with her knee. "And I happen to know for a fact that he'll choose this section of our grade. Wanna know why? Hmm?" she got close to the raven's face, giving him a strong wiff of her thick coat of strawberry lipgloss and Haiku perfume._

_Behind them, on the top riser, Juugo snorted. He leaned forward so he could butt into the conversation, his shaggy hair brushing against Suigetsu's ear, making the other scowl and shove him away. "We already know why he's going to choose this section, Karin. You think we're that dense?"_

_The girl huffed and crossed her arms._

_Sasuke blinked. "I don't know, Juugo."_

_The other teen laughed loudly, the sound errupting into hilarious snorts. Most of the students sitting around them raised their brows, but quickly turned away to go back to their own business of chatting and gossiping. "You serious? Jeez, man, you're as oblivious as they get. You're nothing like Itachi-sempai."_

_Sasuke glared at him._

_"Well!" Karin piped up. "He's going to chose this section because it holds his most favorite student! And do you know who that is?"_

_The raven shook his head._

_"You, dumbass!" Juugo growled. "Everyone knows Sanji-sensei favors you the most out of every other student in this school. I don't even understand how he can like you so much... Yeah, you're smart and okay-looking... but you're a complete dork and you have no coordination whatsoever. You ran into a wall this morning! Twice!"_

_Blushing a bit, the small, skinny Uchiha glared. "S-Sanji-sensei doesn't favor me the most!"_

_"Keep tellin' yourself that," Suigetsu snickered._

_All of the students turned when the gymnasium doors were pushed open. Four teachers walked in, but one definitely stood out. He had shaggy blond hair, a handsome smile, gorgeous blue eyes, and a body built for sports. He waltzed in, baggy green jogging pants low on his hips; a fitting white t-shirt reaching down to the hem of the pants, only revealing a sliver of tan skin._

_Sasuke didn't look straight at him, making Karin giggle, Suigetsu laugh, and Juugo snort in annoyance._

_"Sanji-sensei!" Karin raised her hand and waved, making Sasuke hide behind Suigetsu in embarassment. "Sanji-sensei, Sasuke and I hope you choose our section! You're our **favorite** teacher, just so you know!"_

_The man known as Sanji-sensei looked up and smiled. "Why, of course! I'm everyone's favorite teacher!" he chuckled and walked over to that side of the room after he spoke with the other coaches. He looked up and spotted Sasuke. He gave him a salute and held back his laughter when the other boy gave a half-ass salute in return._

_"If you don't already know me, my name is Sanji Yuichirou, but you may only call me Sanji-sensei. I don't want anyone calling me Yui-chan, Yuichi-dono, or San-San-chin," when he received a lot of snickers from his students, he grinned. "Stupid nicknames from fangirls back in Osaka."_

_Sasuke smiled, having always liked the man's silly sense of humor. Beside him, Karin let out a small giggle of delight. Just like every other girl, she was a hopeless romantic._

_oOoOo_

_Sasuke was stuffing his gym uniform into his locker in the boy's shower room. As he was putting on the lock, there was a tap on his shoulder. He turned and blushed when he saw his blond teacher. "O-Oh, Sanji-sensei."_

_The man held up a note and tapped the tip of Sasuke's nose with it. "I found this note in my office," he pointed to the back of the boys' locker room where there was a small room. He grinned and opened it, reading it out loud:_

_"Sanji-sensei -inserted hearts here-,_

_I've loved you since the first time we met in Freshman year. My heart beats wildly whenever I see you smile or tell a funny joke, and I always get a problem in my pants when--"_

_Sasuke grabbed the paper from his teacher's grasp, his face as red as a tomato. He ripped the letter up and stumbled with his words. "I--I--I--um..."_

_The blond laughed. "When I read it myself, I stopped there, too. I suspect that it was Karin who wrote it? You're not the type to draw hearts on your letters or declare... you have an erection?"_

_The raven felt his whole body heat up in embarrassment. God, he just wanted to die! Or at least have a locker door slammed in his face, like usual! It wasn't fair that his horrible luck wasn't kicking in! Or... well, what was happening at the moment was really bad already._

_"I'll make sure to talk to her about this," he waved the crinkled note around. "I doubt you'd want to try?" he teased, knowing that the little Uchiha was too kind to say anything to his female companion. "Anyway, you'll be late for class if you don't hurry along," then he went back into his office, leaving Sasuke alone in the locker room._

_Sasuke frowned, wondering if his sensei only saw him as the dorky kid who couldn't stand up for himself, who let himself be bossed around, who followed the crowd instead of leading it like his brother. He clenched his fists and left the locker room, wanting nothing more than to talk with Itachi._

_oOoOo_

_Itachi sat on one of the sinks in the top floor bathroom, a cigarette between his lips, smoke being blown out through his nose. He removed the cancer stick and looked over when one of the stall doors opened, Hidan stepping out. He looked nice and tidy with his school uniform, but his ears helds dozens of piercings. His hair wasn't gelled, his silver hair messy, but attracting. He hopped up on the sink next to Itachi and grinned, snatching the cigarette from his friend's hand._

_Putting it between his own lips, he inhaled, then pulled the stick away to blow smoke into the air._

_"Nothin' like a good smoke after raunchy butt sex, hmm?" he purred, leaning forward to lick Itachi's cheek.The other male smirked and took his cigarette back, crushing it on the side of the sink, then dropping it to the floor. He turned when the bathroom door opened._

_Hidan immediately yanked out his pocket knife and flipped it open, but sighed when Sasuke walked in. He tucked the weapon back into his back pocket and ran a hand through his short hair. "Damn, Sasuke-chan, I thought you were a hall monitor. What did I tell you about the secret knocking technique?"_

_Sasuke shut the door behind him and mumbled his apologies. "Knock to the tune of the Jungle Book song, I know. I forgot, sorry."_

_Itachi raised a brow. "You seem flushed, Otouto."_

_"Have a run in with the ever so sexy Sanji-sensei?" Hidan crooned, making the shape of a heart with his fingers._

_Sasuke blushed and looked up at the two seniors with admiring eyes. "I don't know what to do," he told them honestly. "I really like him, but... I'm so clumsy and akward," he sighed. "I'm not as good-looking as you, Aniki, and I'm not good at anything but school work."_

_"You're basically a nerd," Hidan snickered and scratched his neck. "But there's hope for you, Sasuke-chan! I'm sure you remember Weasal-san when he was a sophmore, too. He was dorky, just like you," he grinned._

_Itachi glared at him as he brushed his silky bangs away from his dark eyes. "I was never a dork."_

_Hidan ignored him. "You'll grow into your Uchiha charm, believe me. When I met Weasal-san in middle school, I would've never thought I'd be having sex with him in public restrooms. He was **that** nerdy," he yelped when Itachi punched him in the shoulder. "Weasal-san!" he whined._

_Sasuke huffed. This was getting him nowhere._

_Rubbing his injured shoulder, the violet-eyed teen continued. "But he grew into the family charm, turned into the hottest thing that ever hit Japan, and during his 16th birthday party, I seduced him and would you guess that the first time he'd have sex, he'd give me multiple orgasms?.!"_

_The little raven covered his ears and yelled, "I don't want to hear about your sexcapades! I just want Aniki's help!"_

_Itachi spoke up. "Do you want help with how you look and how you act? Or help with getting Sanji-sensei to fall in love with you? Personally, I think he's too old for you," he looked at his dark purple nails. "You're only fifteen and he's almost thiry-two."_

_"I don't care..." Sasuke mumbled._

_Itachi sighed. "I'll help once this year is over. You know how busy I'll be since this is my senior year, Otouto."_

_The little raven nodded. "Summer it is then! Promise?"_

_The older of the two ruffled his brother's hair. "Promise."_

_oOoOo_

_**Nine months later -- June-- One day left of 10th grade**_

_Karin raised her brow at the sight of Sasuke walking around his bedroom in skin-tight sleeping shorts. He stood in front of his mirror and frowned, pinching the skin of his hip, arms, and stomach. With an annoyed sigh, he went to his closet and began searching for an outfit for the day._

_"Um, is today a special occasion?" she rolled over onto her back (on his bed) and focused on his upside down form. "You're checking yourself out in the mirror and looking for a nice outfit, when you usually just throw something on. Plan on seducing Sanji-sensei with your loafers and dress shirts? Or your cute babyfat and innocent nature?"_

_Sasuke turned and frowned. "Shut up, Karin."_

_The girl blinked her long lashes. "Did you just... did you just tell me to shut up?.! You little nerd, I'm going to give you a wedgie!" she jumped off the bed and launched herself onto Sasuke, giggling when he made a sound between a squawk and and whimper. She grabbed the hem of his shorts and yanked them up to mid-back, laughing as Sasuke whined and thrashed around._

_That was when Itachi came in, one of his other good friends, Deidara, beside him. The both of them had Chemistry textbooks under their arms and in each of their hands was a glass of milk. Deidara, a feminine blond boy, spoke first._

_"I thought you said he was gay, un(2)."_

_Sasuke flushed a deep scarlet and tried to scramble away from Karin, but the girl only held on tighter giving his butt a firm pinch before letting him go. The raven squawked and stumbled forward, falling against his brother's chest. One of the cups Itachi was holding spilt a bit of milk on Sasuke's face and the boy whined, falling in a heap on the floor._

_Itachi smirked. "Why are you running around in your undies, Otouto?"_

_"They're not undies! They're boxers!" The little raven looked up and Deidara blinked slowly._

_"Look at that," the blond pointed at Sasuke's milk covered face and grinned. "Cum shot, un!"_

_Karin snorted in laughter, Itachi let out a sound of amusement, and Sasuke curled up in a ball and covered his head with the fuzzy rug in front of his bedroom door. He didn't get to stay there long, though, because Deidara lifted him up and hoisted him over his shoulder._

_"Lemme go!" Sasuke whined and punched the blond's back. "Aniki, where are we going?.! I have to get ready for school!"_

_Itachi answered with a simple, "You're not going to school today."_

_"What?.!"_

_Karin followed them down the stairs that led to the main hallway and giggled. "Don't you watch the dramas on T.V., Sasuke? This is one of those ideas that women find soooo romantic!"_

_Sasuke stuttered. "R-r-romantic?"_

_She smiled brightly and straightened her glasses. "Awww, by the beginning of next year, Sanji-sensei will be kissing and hugging you! You'll be the cutest couple ever!"_

_"Wait, I don't know what's going on!" Sasuke struggled in Deidara's grasp._

_oOoOo_

_**End of Summer-- First Day of Junior year**_

_Juugo and Suigetsu stretched out on the field, their Junior gym uniforms on. While they both worked their muscles, Juugo continued to complain about having to wear shorts. Suigetsu slapped him on the neck and told him that **all** the guys had to wear them. They both laughed with each other when they thought about scrawny Sasuke in shorts and a white shirt that was way too big for him. They hadn't seen their friend since the previous year because Juugo was sent to a juvenile camp program, and Suigetsu had gone to America for his aunt's wedding._

_The both of them looked up when they saw Karin bounce over, clad in the girl's uniform, which consisted of really tiny black shorts and a white sweater since it was a bit chilly out. They blinked when they noticed her chest size._

_"Damn," Juugo mumbled. "They grew two cups over the summer? Hn, I wonder how much Sasuke grew," he let out a rumbling laugh._

_"Oh, you'd be surprised," was all Karin said before the doors to the gym opened up and Sasuke came out. Most of the girls in the class turned and started whispering, some ever squeeling. Juugo stared in complete disbelief, while Suigetsu started laughing. Not because the raven looked funny, but because he totally hadn't expected it._

_Sasuke was in the black uniform shorts, the material snug on his now perfect hips. His slender legs were smooth and hairless, long and muscled. And most of the class was surprised to see him not wearing a baggy shirt. The boy used to be so insecure about his scrawny build and had covered himself, but now he was filled out in all the right places. His shirt was snug and revealed his nicely muscled stomach and firm chest._

_A whistle was blown and all students shut up, turning to see Sanji-sensei standing there in all his handsome glory, clipboard in hand. He wondered what all the chattering had been about and looked around, spotting Sasuke. His pursed his lips together when obsidian eyes met cerluean._

_The raven had certainly grown over the short summer. His face held no babyfat whatsoever, which defined his cheekbones perfectly, and his hair was silkier, the bangs framing his face. He was definitely surprised when the boy just nodded his head towards him instead of his usual blush and smile._

_Forty minutes later, everyone was finishing up their laps around the track, but Sasuke had finished his ten minutes before. Not only had he grown in appearance, but he'd become good in sports, too._

_Sanji-sensei approached him and sat down on the bleachers, right next to the boy. He grinned, "You're still the same Sasuke, right?" he teased, hoping that the male hadn't become a snob like his brother. Sasuke really was his favorite student._

_Sasuke gave him a blank look, then burst out into a handsome smile, a little bit of pink dusting his cheeks. "I'm the same... I've just matured," his tone was a bit cocky, much different than the old, shy Sasuke._

_"Ahh, that's good. I don't know what I would do without the adorable little Sasuke I met two years ago," he then ruffled the teenager's hair and stood, blowing his whistle to tell everyone to stop. But when he lifted it up, Sasuke noticed the golden band around his finger._

_He felt like his heart stopped beating._

_oOoOo_

_"He's married."_

_Karin looked at her friend and gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm sure you're sexy enough to draw him in, even when he's married. You're hot and you're still... very innocent and cute," she giggled._

_"That's not helping me... Karin, if I try to seduce him and he actually does like me... then we'd be having an affair. I don't want to hurt his wife..."_

_"But if he likes you, then he never really loved her, you know?" she blew a bubble with the bubblegum she was chewing. "He either likes you back or he doesn't. Give it a shot, ok?"_

_Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I guess... but if he hates me or tells the school on me for being a freak, then I'm blaming you."_

_"Ok!" she said happily, not really caring._

_oOoOo_

_It was during a parent teacher conference that Sasuke decided to make his move. He was nervous, but he knew Sanji-sensei would turn him down softly if the feelings weren't returned. He slid past his brother who was basically his only parental figure, and made his way to Sanji-sensei's office in the gym. The man had said earlier in the day that he didn't want to see parents. He hated telling them to their faces that their kids sucked in gym._

_Sasuke smiled at the memory of his teacher saying that. But he shook the thoughts from his head once he entered the dark showering room. The only light was the one shining through the barely closed blinds of the blond's office._

_Knocking twice, Sasuke waited. There was a quiet shuffling sound, then the door opened and Sanji-sensei appeared, as neat as ever. He didn't even look surprised, which confused the raven._

_"Can I... come in, Sensei?" he asked, his voice seemingly loud in the large, empty room._

_Sanji-sensei nodded and let the student come in, shutting the door behind him. He told Sasuke to take a seat and he sat down too, in his own office chair. "What're you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your brother out in the front hall?"_

_Smiling a bit, Sasuke nodded. "I'm supposed to be out there... but I snuck back here instead," he swallowed thickly, suddenly becoming nervous._

_"Why?"_

_"Sanji-sensei, I..." he stood and leaned over the table, surprised when his teacher didn't move back. He lifted his knee and hoisted himself onto the table, hoping to God that the tight pants Karin had chosen for him wouldn't rip. He forced down his blush. "Sensei, I know you're married, but I like you..." he looked into blue eyes, "I really--" his breath hitched when the blond tugged him down and breathed in his ear._

_"I was wondering if you'd pay attention to what I said this morning," he licked the shell of Sasuke ear and bit it._

_The raven shivered and moaned. "What you--?"_

_"When everyone else was heading into the shower room and we were by ourselves, I told you about how I was going to be alone in my office tonight. I knew you liked me since the middle of your freshman year, Sasuke, and today was the perfect time to lure you in," the man smiled against pale skin. "I'm glad you took the bait," he then kissed Sasuke's jaw._

_Sasuke leaned back and groaned when he was yanked forward by the hips, his legs shifting and falling off his teacher's side of the desk. They were spread apart, the knees pressing against the arms of Sanji-sensei's office chair. He was pressed back and a large body covered his, lips pushing against his soft ones._

_"Mmm," he moaned into the mouth of the much older male. He pulled away and looked at the band on the blond's finger. "Wh-what about your wife...?" he panted._

_Sanji-sensei ran his hands up Sasuke's shirt and pressed his palms into soft flesh. "Forget about my wife."_

_Sasuke shouldn't have felt delight from those words, but he did. He wasn't going to let the man go, never._

_oOoOo_

_**5 Months Later**_

_Sasuke felt the warmth of the body next him leave. Opening dark eyes, he watched as his lover got dressed, getting a good view of that firm ass. He lifted himself up, white sheets pooling around his waist, dried cum on his stomach and hips. He reached out to take the other man's hand, but was surprised when the hand was yanked away._

_"Sanji-sensei, is something wrong?"_

_"My wife is getting suspicious," was all the blond said before he grabbed his wrist watch and put it in._

_Obsidian eyes widened. "She's suspicious, but she doesn't know about us, right?"_

_"We need to end this now, Sasuke. I really do love you, but--"_

_The raven climbed out of bed and threw a pillow at his lover. "If you love me, then don't tell me you're going to leave me!.!"_

_"If she finds out she'll tell the school and you'll be expelled. I don't want that to happen to you, especially when you're about to get a scholarship."_

_Sasuke could feel his heart shattering. "I don't care about the fucking scholarship! I just want to be with you! Sanji-sensei--" he was cut off by a passionate kiss._

_The teacher pulled away and looked down at sasuke, full of regret. "I shouldn't have told you my feelings, I shouldn't have slept with you, I shouldn't have been so loving to you... Sasuke, this ends now. My wife and I are moving to Hokkaido at the end of the week, so I'll be out of your life for good. Don't look for me, and I won't look for you," he brushed his palm against a soft cheek, then left the room._

_The young Uchiha turned, his eyes watering for the first time in ten years, since his parents' death._

_oOoOo_

_Rain was falling in buckets the day Sanji-sensei retired from his job as a teacher in Tokyo and left the school for good. Sasuke was standing in front of the man's house, after school, a black umbrella over his head; it was Suigetsu's. He watched as the car pulled out of the driveway, but noticed that only the blond was in the car. His wife was in another car, since they both had to drive one of them to the new home._

_They drove up next to each other, said something about her getting gas, then they went in two different directions. That was when Sasuke felt his heart fall completely apart. Dropping his umbrella, he ran after the vehicle, not wanting to let the only man he'd loved go._

_His legs wanted to give out, but he kept his fast pace, not wanting to lose sight of the vehicle. The light ahead turned red, but the car didn't stop speeding, and the boy felt his chest clench. Fear consumed him and his feet abruptly stopped, causing him to skid a bit. His breath came out in foggy huffs and as the car reached the stop-light, his throat constricted._

_"Stop..." he whispered._

_The car continued on its way towards the light._

_He began shaking, then took a step forward, "Stop!" he yelled, but the loud honking of a horn cut off whatever else he was going to say. A truck slammed into the car and sent it overturning a good four times before it came to stop. It didn't even look like a car anymore and oil was spilling onto the streets, as well as a red liquid._

_The teenager's eyes widened and he ran forward, more tears staining his cheeks._

_"Sanji-sensei!"_

_At that moment in time, he only thought about the teacher. He didn't pay attention to the fact that Sanji-sensei's wife was very much alive, in her own vehicle miles away._

xXxXx end flashback xXxXx

"Hidan... please be alright..."

His brother's voice was the first thing Sasuke heard when he woke up. Naruto was next to his bed, as well as Silo. The little boy gave a chirp of relief when he saw the man's eyes open for the first time in four hours. Naruto helped his friend sit up, then gave him a sad smile and looked back at Hidan, now that he knew Sasuke was ok.

The silver-haired male was in a hospital bed similar to Sasuke's, his whole body basically wrapped in bandages. His eyes were closed, bruises all around them, cuts and gashes all over his young face. Tubes and needles were everywhere and Sasuke wasn't the least bit surprised to see his brother holding Hidan's wrapped hand. He kept talking to his friend, even though he was unconscious.

His dreams had already gotten Sasuke into a terrible mood, now he felt like he wanted to die. He'd scared everyone with his stunt today, scared Silo (the one thing he never wanted to do), and he'd almost gotten Hidan killed. God, he was so happy that the man was still alive. If he would've died too... He'd be without an old friend and he'd be hated by his own brother.

And just like when Sanji-sensei left him, he broke down into tears, the salty drops sliding down his cheeks and dripping onto his hospital gown. Because he couldn't get over his older lover's death, he'd fucked up. **BAD**.

And what did he get for the horrible things he did?

Naruto's warm arms wrapping around his shoulders and Silo's small hands holding his.

**(1)- Yes! Sasuke's new comrades in the manga are here! Suigetsu is the shit, yo.**

**(2)- I changed Deidara saying "yeah" to him saying "un". It sounds cuter, and it's what he actually says in the anime. :Shrugs:**

**My longest chapter EVER! Once again, praise me!**


	19. A Step Toward Something Darker

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Damn, it's been forever, huh? Would it make you all feel better if I said I was in Georgia:Sweatdrop: Cuz I was! And my aunt was being stingy and wouldn't let me use her laptop :Grumbles: But now there's an update and be happy, cuz while I was in Georgia (without a comp), I was able to plan things for future JLH chaps. Up to at least chapter 25 including two more filler chapters that are actually important, unlike the Haruka, Silo, Majik smut filler XD They'll be about how Hidan and Itachi met and their friendship and such (including... smex?), and how the Akatsuki came together and why Orochimaru left and went against them.**

**I also thought of another fic :Sigh: I'm already doing too much stuff... I have no personal time ne more and I'm gonna cry :Tears: But it's about the Virtues and Sins, etc. Expect that to have an extremely sad ending XD I am the drama queen! Ne who, I don't think I'll be cosplaying as Sai for Otakon any more... :Huff: Just too much stuff to deal with, soooooo I'm gonna go as C.C. from Code Geass instead! W00t for the bestest show eva! It's tied with Naruto, seriously. C.C.'s the shit, son! And the first anime character I've seen that's totally obsessed with Pizza Hut XD**

**I'm rambling, sorry. Uh... enjoy?**

The loud beeping of a heart monitor bounced off the plain, white walls of the hospital room, reminding Itachi that the man in front of him was still alive. His hands were clutching a frail one, fingertips stroking pale skin, running over bruises and scrapes. He'd never seen his friend so weak and fragile...

When they were little (in their elementary years), Itachi and Hidan had been on opposite sides of the school spectrum. Hidan was the little trouble-maker that the teachers hated and the students loved to laugh at, and Itachi was the stubborn, yet quiet genius that everyone adored and showered with praise. In school, because they were so different, they'd never see each other. Itachi would be in class, filling his mind with knowledge, while Hidan would be dragged away to the principal's office because of some stupid prank.

It happened to be a strike of fate that brought them together one humid day in spring.

It was April and the entire fourth grade class was outside in the school field, various kids running about, playing tag and such. Itachi and Hidan had happened to be playing the same game that day; hide-and-seek. Of course, since the group was so huge, they hadn't paid any special attention to each other. And as soon as everyone was split into the hiders and the seekers (Hidan being a seeker, much to his annoyance), the game started.

Itachi had climbed into the school's tallest maple tree, staying there for a good half an hour. He knew recess would be ending soon, but kept still, since like most Uchiha men, his motto was "I won't give up" Another ten minutes had passed by and he'd become uncomfortable in his position on the thick branch, so he'd shifted, only to slip and tumble from the high tree.

Lucky for him, though, a certain someone had broken his fall.

"Itai..." the small, scrawny Itachi had whimpered and rolled off a soft body. "Are you ok?"

There'd been a grunt and a muffled curse, then the other boy had slowly sat up, cradling his injured arm. "Where'd you come from, Weasal-san? D'ya fall from the sky?" Hidan had inspected him then.

"Weasal...?"

"Yeah, your name, it means weasal. Che, goody little Uchiha Itachi," the silver-haired child had grinned. "Jeez, I think I broke my arm, again... Mom's gonna be mad."

That had been their first meeting and, even then, Hidan was a very strong person. No injury brought him down, no scorn lowered his self-esteem, and no random kid falling from the sky kept him down for long. Hidan was truly the strongest person Itachi knew...

And now he was holding the hand of said indestrucable male and he felt weak, so unlike himself. He'd always been just as strong as Hidan, but only when the loud man was there, supporting him. Now the other was immobile, so weak that he needed tubes to breath, needed to tubes to give him his food and water.

"It's like you always said," he began quietly, sitting back in the uncomfortable blue chair. "God was going to get you one day," his smile was small and strained, but visible on his handsome, yet aged, face. Standing up, he pulled his cellphone from the confines of his Akatsuki cloak. He rarely wore it when in Japan, not wanting to draw unwanted attention to himself. But the rest of the group, excluding Sasori, wore them all the time, mostly because of their stupidity and carelessness.

Going to a contact on his freinds list, he pressed the call button and put the small phone to his ear, listening to the low rings. After a few moments, someone answered. It was his company secretary, Asuhina.

_"Uchiha Corporations, this is Shiozu Asuhina speaking, how may I help you?"_

The Uchiha thrummed his fingers on soft bed sheets, still listening to Hidan's heart monitor. "This is Itachi," there was a squeek on the other end of the line, then the girl gave a polite greeting to her boss. "Tell everyone I won't be coming to the company this afternoon, I have other business that needs taken care of. But I will be sending someone in soon, his name is Uzumaki Naruto, one of my new actors. He asked to take a look around the other day, so make sure he's given a guide," he didn't even wait for the woman's reply before snapping his phone shut and tucking it away.

Brushing bangs from his eyes, he moved toward the door. "I'm going to get food from the cafeteria, is there anything you'd like?"

Across the room, behind a drawn curtain, Sasuke sat in his own hospital bed. His arms were crossed and bandages were wrapped around his head, tuffs of black hair poking out between wraps. The raven glared at nothing and mumbled a "Sure" before lying back and sighing.

Itachi left the room, closing the door behind him. He didn't blame Sasuke for what happened, not at all. He couldn't blame his brother for something he couldn't control. And he wasn't ignoring him; it was just... since Sasuke had woken up in the hospital, he'd been suffering from male PMS. The doctors said he was constantly angry because of his concussion, but Itachi knew it was because he didn't know how to handle his guilt for what had happened.

It seemed like Itachi would just have to have a little chat with his younger brother later.

xXxXx

Naruto stared up at the huge building that seemed to be covered in millions of tinted windows. He stalked through the crowd of people, almost stumbling over a blind man's walking stick. He mumbled an apology, then stepped through the glass, automatic doors that led him inside the Uchiha corporation. The day before, while he and Itachi were watching over Sasuke and Hidan, Naruto had asked the older raven about the acting company he owned. He'd wanted to take a peek at it, but instead, Itachi gave him full permission to tour the damn place!

Looking around the clean first floor, he saw large potted plants by the metal stairs and elevators, a few clean-cut men conversing by the front desk, a child being led upstairs by a stern looking woman, and a mousy female sitting behind the front desk, typing away on a computer. She scratched the top of her head absently, then looked up at the talking men in front of her, telling them to move along. When they did, she caught a glimpse of Naruto and smile cutely.

"A blond male with blue eyes, you must be Uzumaki-san!" she stood quickly and bowed, moving around her desk to shake Naruto's hand. "Uchiha-san told me you'd be coming soon, so I have a special escort for you."

The blond smiled back to her and muttered a "thank you" before looking around again, curious as to how the place could be so clean and shiny...

_Hey, I can see my reflection in the floor! _ he glanced down at himself on the tile flooring and waved, doing a little jig before someone in front of them cleared their throat. He laughed stupidly, but blinked cerulean orbs when he saw the blond and red-head in front of him, wearing cloaks similar to Hidan, Itachi, and Tobi's.

"Name's Deidara, un," the feminine male held out his hand and Naruto almost took it, but jerked back when he saw the strange tattoo of a mouth on the other's palm. Deidara chuckled and gave a cheesy grin. "It's not real, Kinpatsu."

_...Why does everyone in those stupid coats call me that?_

The red-head was the next to speak, his voice rich like Sasuke's, but lighter, with a hint of malice, despite his blank face. "Let's take him on the tour. We have to hand Kakuzu our bills soon, remember?" he turned and began walking, his black boots clacking against the marble floor. His cloak fluttered around his ankles, and Deidara snickered.

"Don't mind Sasori-danna, he's like a grouchy old woman, un," the long-haired man stated, then tugged Naruto forward by the sleeve, ushering him to the front, behind Sasori. They went up the stairs, and as they reached the second floor, Deidara began pointing to doors, explaining what rooms they were and such. Naruto thought it might've been a bit boring, but he actually found it interesting, thanks to Deidara's vivid imagination.

"What's that room?" Naruto looked at the door at the very end of the hall. Dust was over the name plate, but he didn't move to wipe it away. Sasori gave him a blank look.

"A janitor's closet. Must we tell you about every little thing, Uzumaki-san?"

Blushing a bit in embarrassment, Naruto laughed nervously and scratched the back of his neck. "Oh, no, sorry."

They continued their tour up until the very last floor, where Deidara and Sasori's attention were drawn elsewhere. There was a gorgeous woman standing in the middle of the hall, looking around as if she were lost. Her short dress hugged her frame perfectly and Naruto snickered, understanding why they'd stop and stare. She tucked a lock of her short auburn hair behind a pierced ear and gave them a smile when she noticed them.

Naruto noted Sasori's narrowing eyes.

"E-Excuse me," she ran to them, waving her hand lightly. "Do you know where I could find Itachi-san?" she had such a pretty face, her make-up just right. Naruto couldn't tear his eyes from her, but for some reason, he wasn't as drawn to her as he'd like to be...

"Itachi-san?" Deidara turned to Sasori, then gave the woman a handsome smile. "Please come this way, un. Naruto-kun, I hope you can find your way back downstairs?"

Naruto nodded and stuffed his tan hands in his jacket pockets. He watched them head towards a large door at the very end of the hall and disappear inside. The woman turned to give him a look, then she smirked to herself as the door closed behind them.

xXxXx

Naruto pushed open the door to Hidan and Sasuke's hospital room, his jacket slung over his arm. Tossing the bright orange item onto the floor, he gaped at Hidan's opened eyes. The silver-haired male gave him a weak wave and grinned beneath an oxygen mask. He'd woken up an hour earlier, Itachi absent from the room. He still hadn't returned and Hidan wanted to trick the male when he came back.

"You're ok," Naruto said, relieved. "And it looks like at least one of your arms isn't broken."

Hidan let out a raspy laugh, then coughed loudly, his oxygen mask slipping from his mouth. He took a deep breath and smiled. "Yeah, I feel like shit. I wake up, hoping to be in Weasal-san's arms, but instead..." he pouted. "I'm in a damn hospital bed. I thought the whole car thing was just a stupid dream," he looked up in thought, despite the ache in his neck and shoulders. He winced.

"You have a lot of broken bones, but you'll be ok. That's what the doctor said, anyway," Naruto headed over to Sasuke's bed and pulled something from his back pocket, waving it around. "I brought you something special, Teme! Praise me," he laughed.

Sasuke glared at him. "What is it?"

"Don't look so angry all the time," Naruto complained. "Your face'll get stuck that way and then all of the sexy men will hate you and you'll live a lonely, sexless life. The closest thing you'll get to sex will be when you get a prostate check."

The raven let his frown disappear, then raised a brow. "I've already had sex, Dobe."

"...Oooh, who with?"

"That's none of your business. Now, give me my gift," Sasuke held out his hand expectantly.

"Che, here," the blond sat a box of red candies on the other man's palm, smiling. "I saw these at a little store on the way back. I figured you were probably lonely since you don't have a cute boyfriend checking up on you every minute with gifts and words of adoration," he grinned. "So I'm going to take that role until you're out of this place tomorrow! How about it, Sasu-chan? I'm sure I'd make a wonderful boyfriend!"

Sasuke's heart thumped in his chest and he resisted the urge to burst out into a bright smile. He gripped the little box of candies and let his lips twitch upward. He wasn't going to tell the blond how much he wished he really was his boyfriend, so he settled with a scoff and a muttered "Dobe".

"Hey, I'm trying to be a good friend here! I thought it wouldn't be fair that I pretended to be Sai's boyfriend when he was in the hospital and not yours. Soooo, you'll call me your koibito and I'm gonna call you my Sasu-chan," Naruto beamed.

The younger Uchiha rolled his eyes, but narrowed them when Hidan broke out into fits of girlish giggles. He shut up, though, when footsteps could be heard in the hall. He told Naruto to hide behind the curtain around Sasuke's bed, then yanked the cord from the heart monitor, the green line on the screen straightening and the beeping becoming one long, endless ring. He laid back and closed his eyes, pretending to be dead.

Behind the curtains, Sasuke sighed and Naruto muffled his laughter behind his hands.

The door slammed open a moment later and Itachi came in, eyes wide and full of fear, so Naruto saw when he peeked around the baby blue hospital curtian. Sasuke dragged him back and kept himself from looking, not wanting his brother to think he was involved in the prank whatsoever.

"Hidan...?" the voice was hesitant, scared. Itachi slowly walked to the bed and held a hand, surprised to find that it was warm. Soon, amethyst eyes fluttered open and Hidan smiled, not a grin, but a gorgeous, full-fledged smile.

"Weasal-san, your fear woke me from the dead. Our love is soooo strong," the man then laughed and sat up slowly, his aching spine protesting. He looked into Itachi's eyes, still seeing the fear there. His smile disappeared and he placed his good hand on the older man's arm, stroking the soft fabric of his cloak. "Look, you're wearing the cloak..." he whispered. "You only wear it during business or really important times... I'm guessing I'm someone important?"

Itachi took a step forward and did something so unlike him that it even surprised Hidan. He hugged him. He pulled Hidan's head against his chest and held him, arms wrapping around stiff shoulders, fingers pressing through non-gelled silver hair. His black bangs fell over closed eyes and he spoke.

"I'm going to rip your balls off," he stated fondly.

Hidan burst into fits of laughter, his broken ribs throbbing and shutting him up immediately. Itachi laid him back down and looked at the heart monitor, plugging the cord back in, the little beeps starting back up again. "I'm going to go tell the doctors you're awake," he then pressed a chaste kiss against chapped lips and Hidan tensed, surprised. Itachi left the room and he sighed, looking over at Naruto who was peeking out from behind the curtain.

"I should throw myself in front of Sasuke and get hit by stunt cars more often," he smiled. "If Weasal-san's going to be so sweet and tender like that."

Sasuke glared behind Naruto.

The blond came out from behind the curtain and stepped toward the door, grabbing his coat. "Shit, I forgot to pick up the new mattress for Silo's bed."

Sasuke raised a brow. "Did he wet the bed or something?"

"No, no, I spilled a beer all over it."

Both Hidan and Sasuke remained quiet.

"Well, I'll be back as soon as I take the mattress back to the house. Hidan, don't give Itachi a heart attack, and Sasuke... eat those little candies I gave you and put a smile on," he joked.

The raven glared daggers.

xXxXx

Sasori slammed the woman up against the wall and bent her arms behind her back, keeping her in place. Deidara was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, good eye closed in thought. A few other cloaked men stepped toward them, looking at the female with either looks of disgust or a smirk.

"Another whore sent by Orochimaru?" a man with sickly skin, dyed blue hair and tattoos of gills on his face asked gruffly. "When's he going to approach us himself? I'm sick of calling up those damn brothels."

The woman struggled, but wailed in agony when her arm was twisted painfully. Sasori didn't lighten his grip.

"You'd think he get tired of using the same old trick," a bulky man with green eyes and a white hood grumbled.

"Well, I suppose we'll just have to deal with her the same way we've dealt with all of the others," a man with white and black pace paint and green hair said calmly.

The woman snarled and thrashed, but couldn't escape.

xXxXx

Naruto looked up at all of the items on the cafe menu, drooling. He'd planned on just getting the mattress and taking it back, but his stomach had protested loudly half way back, grumbling and churning for food. So he stopped at a peaceful looking cafe in the city. As he ordered a coffee and turkey sub, he took a seat at a table.

Tilting his head back, he sighed. Blinking when someone approached him, he turned. There, in front of him, was a red-haired male with stunning green eyes surrounded in black. He nodded his head.

"Are you Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Um... yes? Are you a fanboy...? I don't trade autographs in for blowjobs and I don't have sex with anyone under the age of twenty unless they're REALLY hot... and have a vagina."

The other male raised invisible eyebrows. "I'm an actor."

"Oh! Are you signed up with Itachi's company too?"

The unknown man nodded.

"Then sit down! If you wanted to chat about acting, then you should've said so! Sooo, what's your name?" Naruto grinned and thanked the waitress that sat his food and coffee down in front of him. "And why haven't I seen you before?"

The red-head stared ahead, not looking at Naruto at all. "Sabaku Gaara. I've been working on a film in Germany for the past year."

"Germany, hmm? That's cool," Naruto seemed all too happy to talk to Gaara, his smile wide, his eyes shining. He lifted up his turkey sub and took a large bite out of it, munching and swallowing thickly, careful so he wouldn't choke.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," Gaara began steadily. "How did you become an actor? I heard from a fellow actor that Sasuke found you in America?"

Naruto grinned. "Yep, I was lucky enough to land a major role! Now I can give my son the life he deser-- shit, I'm supposed to pick him up from school right now! I lost track of time!" he quickly stood and grabbed his sandwhich and drink. "Um, I'm sorry, Gaara, but--"

"It's alright, I understand. I only wanted to meet you, anyway," Gaara stood and nodded his head in farewell. "We'll see each other on set soon, I hope."

"Yeah, see you around!" then Naruto stumbled out of the shop, cursing at himself for being a bad father.

Gaara watched him leave, then flipped open his cellphone.

xXxXx

In the center of a filthy allyway, the woman from before stood, a bulky, older man beside her. She was allowed one more call before her phone would be taken away. Pressing in a few numbers, she lifted the device to her ear.

"Orochimaru-sama, I wasn't able to find Itachi..." she winced when harsh words were said to her on the other line. "No, sir, I... Well, there was a blond man with them... I'm sure they know him, so... His name? I didn't get his surname, but they called him Naruto..." her boss hung up on her and she growled when the large men took her phone, and was yanked inside of the dirty brothel.

**Next chapter: Sasuke has a heart to heart talk with Itachi, Silo's approaching birthday, Hidan's feelings, Haruka and Majik's little squabble over Silo, and a kiss that changes lust to love.**


	20. Aches and Pains

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Yay! Another chapter! And the sequel for WSBV is out, check it out! Oh, those of you who say Silo's annoying... something's wrong with you! Even though you're entitled to your own opinions. And these chapters are gonna start goin' in a darker direction, so enjoy the happiness to the fullest.**

**An Itachi and Hidan moment in here. I thought it was very touching and sad... **

Itachi leaned against the wall just outside of Hidan and Sasuke's hospital rooms, his eyes closed in thought. He'd been called earlier that morning and was asked if his brother and Naruto could do an interview on a talk show, so of course, he agreed. He couldn't deny the person, mainly because it would raise some questions in the public. No one knew about the filming accident except for those fans that were there. But they were talked to and given money to keep quiet, along with a promise of front row seats at the movie premiere.

The door to the room opened and Sasuke stepped out, the bandages gone from his hair, a halo crowned atop his head, proving he'd washed it continuously the previous night. He was dressed in his normal clothing, nodding to his brother.

"I need to speak with you," Itachi spoke, opening his dark eyes.

Sasuke was hesitant, but he nodded once again and his elder brother glanced down the hall, making sure no one would hear them. He pushed away from the wall and his expression changed from stoic to soft, an understanding smile on his face.

"I want to clear something up," the weasal absorbed Sasuke's confused look. "The accident... it wasn't your fault, so don't blame yourself. I noticed that you were easily angered a few days back and I know you thought that somebody might've lashed out and blamed you at any given moment."

Suddenly, the smaller raven clenched his fists. "How can you say it wasn't my fault?" he hissed. "If I just would've stopped--!"

"But you wouldn't have been able to, even if you had tried. I've learned over the last couple of years that your illusions of 'him' could've been fixed with counseling and such, but I refused to let you, my only otouto, be treated like you were crazy. I let you deal with the loss yourself and it's my fault that it got as bad as it did," Itachi's voice held honesty. "If I would've helped you, then it wouldn't have happened. Don't blame yourself, because it was my fault."

Sasuke remained quiet for a moment, then smiled. Sometimes, he really loved having Itachi as his older brother. "I guess it is... I mean, you were basically my parent and I couldn't go against you if you didn't want me to have counseling," he mumbled, humor laced into his voice.

Itachi smirked and poked Sasuke in the center of his forehead. "Foolish Otouto."

"WEASAL-SAN!" Hidan whined from inside the room. "Send Sasu-chan on his way and get in here! Entertain me, I'm bored!"

Mumbling a thanks to his brother, Sasuke walked down the hall, pulling out his cellphone to call Naruto and tell him to pick him up.

Itachi smiled to himself and went into the hospital room.

xXxXx

Silo hummed a little tune in the back of his father's car, tapping his bony knees with small fingers. He turned and leaned forward, staring out of the foggy window. His bright yellow backpack was next to him, the zipper open, tablets and folders spilling out over the seat. Smiling at his reflection in the glass, he lifted a hand and drew little doodles with his pointer finger.

He was extremely happy today, mainly because his birthday was approaching and he'd be six! Sure, he was at the mental age of eleven, but another birthday meant there'd be a growth spurt... hopefully. He was always on the short side, much like his mother, and hoped he'd be given an extra four inches for his birthday. Naruto told him he wouldn't grow that much until he hit puberty, but Silo had blocked out that little comment.

Finishing his drawing on the window, he pulled his arm back and grinned. He was resembling his father more and more every day. "Chichiue, look! It's you and Uchiha-san!"

"One second, I can't look while I'm driving," the blond replied, then turned into the hospital parking lot, coming to a stop. He finally twisted around in his seat and glanced at the picture. Laughing, he leaned in and ruffled Silo's dark hair. "You're quite the artist, musuko! But how come we're holding hands?"

"..." Silo huffed. He'd hoped Naruto would understand the little hint, but apparently he was too dense. "Because you're good friends," he lied, not wanting to deal with any drama.

"Oh..." there was a knock on the front window and Naruto looked out, seeing the blurry shape of Sasuke. How did he know it was him? Well, by his odd-shaped hair and girly posture, that's how! Even when he was a fuzzy blob he looked like a woman. Unlocking the door, he greeted the raven as he entered and sat down.

"Welcome to my car, Teme!" Naruto quickly drove off, almost hitting an old man that was crossing the parking lot with a walker. His pants were up to his chest, his white dress shirt tucked in. His white hair was a mess and Naruto laughed at that, especially when the elder started yelling curse words.

"Damn kids and their blasted contraptions of the future!" he shook his walker at the car and scurried along, being helped inside the building by a pretty young nurse.

Sasuke smirked and put on his seatbelt, crossing his arms.

"Uchiha-san, how are you feeling?" Silo asked, genuinely worried. He hoped he still wasn't hurt.

"I'm fine. My head still hurts, but the doctors said that was normal... How about you?"

"Hm?" the crow blinked.

"Naruto told me your birthday was coming up, how do you feel about that? Excited?"

Silo smiled brightly and shoved himself forward in his seat, despite the constricting seatbelt. He loved when Sasuke paid attention to him, it was like he had another parent. And if his own father wasn't so dense and, well, stupid, then he might have Sasuke as his new mother! But he also knew that he couldn't just turn his chichiue gay...

"Yeah! When I blow out my candles, I'm going to wish for a growth spurt!"

_Or for Chichiue to like Uchiha-san, _he added mentally.

"He thinks he's too short. I told him he's perfectly fine for his age," Naruto explained to Sasuke while speeding around a slow car. He put the blinker on and went into the other lane, getting closer to Kakashi's apartment complex. Don't think that Naruto always dropped Silo off there to get rid of him or anything, it was just that the boy enjoyed being around Haruka and Majik (the boy popped into the Hatake household on random occasions) and didn't see them enough in school. Also, Naruto had been sleeping away, the acting business tiring him out.

What was the point in hanging with your dad if he was always tired? So Silo spent most of his time with his friends on days like those.

"He is a bit short."

"I told you, Chichiue!"

"No, you're not! Sasuke, shut the futz up!" the blond pulled into the apartment parking lot and pointed to Haruka and Majik who were outside playing in the local playground. Sure, Kakashi was rich, but he was a simple man with a simple life. "Ooooh, that slide looks like fun! Do you think someone will say something if I play on it?" he grinned and parked his car, immediately getting out and running to the mulch playground.

"Dobe," Sasuke snorted and let himself out, helping Silo, as well. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, scowling. He still a headache and didn't feel like dealing with Naruto's loud voice. Yeah, he sort of had a thing for the idiot, but that didn't mean he had to tolerate him, right?

Being pushed on the swing by Haruka, Majik glanced over his knees as he flew into the air, seeing Naruto running through the grass, as well as Silo, being followed by a tired looking Sasuke. A grin spread across his face, a fresh bandage over one of his cheeks stretching as his eyes twinkled.

"Little Miss!" he shouted happily, throwing himself off of the swing that was in mid-air. He landed with a wince, but quickly started running through the rich brown mulch, his dirty sneakers lighting up with a red glow with each heavy step. He didn't even notice that Haruka was hit with the empty swing, causing the older boy to fall back.

Naruto, for the first time, met Majik. He'd heard stories of him from his son, but never saw him in person. And by what Silo had exclaimed about the other tyke's sense of fashion, he thought he'd be looking at a midget clown. Instead, what stood in front of him was a cute little boy wearing khaki shorts, striped stockings, old Nike sneakers, a cotton candy blue hoodie, a rainbow beanie, and skeleton gloves with the fingers poorly cut off.

"You must be Majik," he held out his hand and grinned foxily, loving children.

The black and white-haired child took the hand, but then started doing what Naruto assumed to be a "gangsta style handshake". Naruto may have been young, but he was a parent, and all parents lose their coolness once their kid hits elementary school. The strange shake was then followed by a Nazi salute and a gang sign.

"Ya seemed lost," the boy commented airily. "I thought ya Americans shook hands like that...?"

Naruto laughed nervously. "I'm not an American. I was born in Kyushu."

There was a pause, then Majik tilted his head. "Ya'd make a spankin' good Nazi, Little Miss's papa."

"...What?"

"Haruka-kun, are you ok?.!" Silo shrieked worriedly, running to his friend who was still lying on the ground after being hit by the rogue swing. "Majik, you killed him!"

The Norwegian child's face fell and his bottom lip wobbled. "I killed 'im?"

Haruka slowly blinked his crimson eyes, then sat up, brushing little pieces of mulch from his hair. He looked up to where he hard Silo's voice and reached a hand out, expecting the crow to help him up. When the other boy did indeed lifted him off the ground, he turned and scowled, searching for Majik with his blind eyes.

"I'm going to beat you into a pulp, Majik!" he growled, so different from his usual calm self.

You see, there's one thing you should know about young Majik (last name unknown). Not only did he have ADD and a serious case of what Silo called "retardism", he also had an aura around him that drew you in... then swallowed you up like a venus fly trap. Once you were dragged in, there was no way of escaping. It was like... no matter where you were, he'd show up, wearing his strange clothes and covered in bandages and gauze wrappings, that stupid lopsided smile on his face that made you think he'd had a severe stroke a few minutes beforehand. Also, he had a tendancy to drive everyone around him insane or to their untimely deaths.

Poor Haruka, it seemed he was one of the ones who were going to go insane. He'd already been torn from his mature shell (thanks to Majik), tossed into a world of insanity (thanks to Majik), and was stuck in a mental stage of anger and violence (also thanks to Majik).

To make it simple, Hatake Haruka was no longer the sweet, calm little boy that was raised by Kakashi. He was now a fleshy lump of anger that seemed like more of an attack dog than a seven-year old child.

"Ya should've moved!" Majik chirped and skipped away from Naruto, who was now joined by a confused Sasuke.

"I didn't see it coming! I'm blind, remember?.!" the silver-haired boy growled, baring his pearly whites. Silo tried to calm him down with his soft, comforting voice. He accomplished the deed after a few moments, then smiled and beckoned him to come over and play on the slides with him.

"Ya goin' to ignore me now...?" Majik waved his arms around.

"What's going on?" Sasuke asked, having missed everything up until the point where Majik had ran away from Naruto. He unconsciously buried his hands deeper into the pockets of his pants to keep his fingers warm. It was definitely a chilly afternoon.

"I don't really know... but I think we should go and play on the slides with them! I got dibs on the dragon one! Look Sasuke, you climb into its mouth and slide down its body!" he laughed and ran across the large playground, knowing the raven would follow behind him.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and stalked forward.

xXxXx

Hidan watched the television above his hospital bed with uninterested eyes. He didn't want to watch a show about women deprived of sex, especially when they were damn hot! Well, as hot as any woman could be to a gay man. He huffed and lifted up the remote that was beside his hip with his good hand, the broken one in a sling. The doctors had said he was doing pretty good for a man who had almost all of his bones broken.

He had a fracture in his skull, a broken arm, two broken legs, shattered kneecaps, six broken ribs, a fractured collarbone, and a severely bruised back, stomach, and chest. When he was told about all of the injuries, he'd just laughed and thanked Buddha that his penis was okay.

Flipping through the very few channels, he came upon the news station and sighed. He supposed he'd just have to deal with that, since everything else was either too corny or in Spanish. He wasn't even in frickin' Spain... stupid foreign countries taking over his homeland's television channels.

_"A woman was found murdered in her apartment this evening in the Minami-Aoyama district of western Tokyo. The policemen found enough evidence in her home to suggest that she was a part of an underground drug society and was killed by one her clients... Wait, I'm being told some new information. The woman, Obata Chiyome, was not the one who sold drugs, it was her boyfriend. The apartment was his and there was a note in one of the bedroom drawers that stated that if Obata didn't sell the drugs to one of his clients, he would break up with her--"_

Hidan turned the television off, not wanting to hear the rest of it. He stared at the white wall across from his bed where he was propped up, thinking about the case. He rolled over all of the words in his head and smiled, a grim stretch of his lips. He realized how he could so easily be put in that situation.

Being in the drug business, loving someone so much you'd dirty yourself with cocaine, heroin, and morphine, and then the knowledge that the someone your doing that for could abandon you at any moment... It makes you want to keep selling drugs so they'll keep you by their side. You just want to keep murdering, keep whoring yourself, keep taking hallucinogens so you don't drive yourself crazy with your guilt and mutated form of love...

Hidan felt an emptyness all throughout his body... but then a dull ache began to pound in his chest and his fingers twitched at his side. He took a deep breath and looked at the door, hoping Itachi would walk through it, holding a paper bag that held his sweet escape from reality.

This was a side of him he wanted no one to see, only trusted Itachi and the rest of the Akatsuki to witness...

His painful withdrawl.

Groaning in agony, he swallowed, his mouth producing no saliva to coat his sore throat. He gripped the bed sheets, nails scraping against stiff material. He tightly closed his eyes and begged his mind and body to stop craving the drugs. God, he'd never wanted to stop so bad in his entire life!

The hospital door suddenly opened and his eyes snapped open, their violet depths reflecting Itachi's handsome face as he stepped toward the bed. He smiled a bit, trying to stay normal for his Weasal-san.

"I brought you some fruit and yogurt from the cafeteria. The line was so long," the elder Uchiha scoffed. "But once I told them who I was, I was able to go straight to the front."

"Thanks, Weasal-san," Hidan said, his voice wavering. He was a strange case. He hadn't had any drugs within two months, had almost given them up completely. But then the thought of what his job was, what he did for a living, what he did just so he could protect his beloved Itachi and stay by his side forever... it brought forth a withdrawl he'd resisted for months.

Itachi gave him a questioning look. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just a little tired!" the other man answered with as much of a cheery tone as possible. He took an offered banana, but as he began peeling, he thought of the news program and came to a slow stop, lying the fruit on his covered lap.

"Hidan?"

"Itachi..." his tone was low and the raven closed his mouth. His best friend never said his name unless something bad was going to happen or unless he had something extremely important to say. "You know that I would do anything to keep you safe from Orochimaru, right? That I'd sell as many drugs as the society had in stock, that I'd give my body to as many men as there were in the yakuza, that I'd--"

"What are you talking about?" Itachi growled, no understanding what was going on. Hidan never became this serious, never rambled on about their jobs.

"What if..." Hidan trailed off and his body shook, but he didn't know if it was because of the withdrawl or of his approaching confession. "What if I died someday soon? What if I was about to sell some heroin to one of your customers because you somehow couldn't... and was killed by a man who had truly meant to kill you?" his thoughts were spilling out. The thoughts that swam around in his mind while he'd watched the news.

Itachi remained silent, stunned by the questions and raw emotion in Hidan's voice.

"If that ever happens to me, don't feel angry because... because you should know that I would be extremely happy to die at that moment."

"What are you--"

"Because I died in your place, I **protected **you, Itachi," Hidan gave him a shaky smile. "Even though it was in a worthless way... I died protecting you. The whole reason why I gave up my normal life and became what I am today was to keep you safe..."

Itachi was, for the first time in his life, utterly speechless. He'd never heard such emotional words from Hidan and had never dreamed he ever would. This new side was beginning to unease him and he didn't want to know why this one-sided conversation was even going on.

"So if I died that way, died protecting you... I'd be happy," the silver-haired Akatsuki member looked so weak in the hospital bed, but his next words were so strong. "Because I love you."

The raven wasn't so quiet anymore.

"No, you don't."

Hidan laughed painfully. "I knew you would say that... you stupid fucker...!" his eyes were closed tightly, his face lowered, tears threatening to spill out through silver lashes. He always knew he'd be rejected and had prepared himself billions of times, but he always thought it'd hurt a lot less than it actually did at the moment. "You can fuck me and break me and control me--! But... but you can't love me?" his voice was broken.

Itachi kept his strong expression. He wouldn't crumble. If he crumbled because of this beautiful man's tears, then he would shatter the strength that kept him as the Akatsuki's 2nd strongest man. He wouldn't become weak and be the cause of every Akatsuki's members' death. He especially wouldn't endanger Sasuke... even if it meant hurting his best friend, his most precious person.

Maybe if they'd both gone down a different path... they could've been together.

But there would be no "what if" scenerios, because they wouldn't change anything.

Not their lives.

Not their priorities.

Not their dirty pasts.

"Why can't you... love me? Am I really that filthy...? Do I disgust you that much?"

"I'm sorry."

Nothing.

It will change nothing.

xXxXx

It'd been two hours since their arrival at the playground and Kakashi had finally decided to grace everyone with his presence. He approached them in a black sweater, a cup of steaming coffee in his left hand. Scratching the back of his head absently, he peaked around the ladder that led up to the crossing bridge and spotted everyone lying in the sand pit just beside the teeter totter.

"My, two grown men sleeping with three little boys. You don't see that every day," he commented with an airy chuckle.

Naruto cracked open an eye, then grinned. "Yo, Kakashi! I was thinking about stealing Haruka away since you're a horrible father and left him down here all by himself."

"I was watching from my kitchen window... but then a black cat crossed the sill and I could no longer sit there or I'd be cursed."

"That's a lie!" the blond hollered.

Silo slowly opened his eyes. "Chichiue...?"

Sasuke sat up as well, having never been asleep in the first place. He was just relaxing and basking in the fact that Naruto was actually quiet for once.

"It's getting late, Silo, we should head home. Hey, Teme, you should stay the night since it's the weekend. We can stay up all night and play video games!"

"Oh, joy. Violence and horrible 3-D graphics, I can't wait," the raven stood up and brushed his back off.

Silo bent down and poked at both Haruka and Majik, waking them up. Haruka awoke with a startled jerk, but calmed when he recognized the feeling of Silo's small hand. But Majik immediately snapped to attention and began yelling in German, even though he wasn't fluent in the language...

"I have to go home," Silo leaned forward and tugged them both into a tight hug. "I'll see you soon, probably tomorrow, ok? Oh! I forgot to tell you! My birthday's coming up soon, in one week! I hope you'll come to my party?" he smiled and pecked them both on the cheek before jumping up and running to his dad and the well-rested Uchiha.

Both Haruka and Majik faced each other each other, then glared.

Only one thing was on their minds.

_I'm going to give him the best present!_

xXxXx

Sasuke sat down on the comfortable sofa in Naruto's living room, dressed in a pair of baggy red pajamas he'd borrowed from said blond. After a few seconds of just sitting there, waiting for the two Uzumaki's to come downstairs, he noticed that a distinct scent was all over him. That's when he realized that yes, he was indeed wearing his current infatuation's bright red (and slightly ugly) pajamas!

He told himself he wasn't a pervert, then slowly took a wiff of the long sleeves, loving the thought of falling asleep wrapped up in what would be the closest thing to Naruto's strong arms. He held back a blush and coughed, lowering his arms to his lap, tapping his knees.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Uchiha-san!" Silo apologized as he ran down the stairs with the speed of a rabbit. In his hands were multiple video games. Naruto followed soon after and held up an even larger selection of games, a shit-eating grin on his handsome face.

Sasuke groaned.

Naruto and Silo cheered.

-- Four Hours Later--

Naruto was lying on the couch, breathing heavily through his nose as he slept. Across his legs was Silo, the little boy sleeping in an akward position, a game controller in his grasp, fingers ghosting over the buttons, even in his state of unconsciousness. In the background, there was the sound of enemies firing their machine guns and rifles.

Sasuke turned off the Playstation 3, then shut off the television, quickly flicking out the living room lights. He stretched, bones popping loudly, muscles becoming less stiff and painful. He was exhausted and felt like he'd collapse at any moment. But one sight stopped him from tumbling over.

Naruto's sleeping face and extremely soft looking pink lips.

The young Uchiha was never one to give into temptation, but his mind was hazy with exhaustion and he couldn't think properly. His weakened state was taken advantage of and he silently cursed Naruto for having such a well-defined face and velvety pink lips.

Falling to his knees beside the couch, he hovered over the sleeping male and breathed in the scent that he loved. The one smell he'd never forget. Uzumaki Naruto.

He swooped down, and in state of exhaustion, placed a soft kiss on those lips that always called him "teme". He closed his own eyes and wished he'd be kissed back, but that thought quickly vanished as slumber finally won control and he swayed, his head falling onto a firm chest. And that's where he fell asleep, on top of Naruto.

Below them, at the end of the couch, Silo watched silently.

**Next Chapter: Sorting through feelings, Sasuke reveals his past, Majik finds himself in a bad predicament, the ties of two brothers, everyone's invited to a super celebration!, and Sai...you got served! (That was my stupidity right there XD)**


	21. Problems

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Feel loved that I decided to update this story again instead of "Plastic Cafe" or "Kitty Wants Some Candy". I just... well, this chapter has background on Majik and hot damn, I love him XD Sooooo I wanted to do this before my others... Plus, I just couldn't work on the other two. My heart wasn't in it today.**

**This story is dedicated to my Xa Oppa! I love you:Hugs and kisses:**

**Important: This story is going strong and it's going to last a good forty-some to fifty chapters. Hell, probably even more! So to celebrate my first ever super long fic... how about some fanart?.! I'd love it! (I'm not desperate for love... :Huff: It's a lie!)**

The sun peeked through open blinds, intent on waking the members of the Uzumaki household with its horrible blinding light. Rays of warmth washed over Naruto's face and he scrunched his nose up in annoyance, rolling his head to the side so he could avoid the pesky fact that he had business to attend to. When the sun refused to give up the battle, the blond growled and tried to roll over on the sofa, but something heavy was pressing against his stomach and wouldn't allow the movement.

_What the...? _ was all his foggy mind could produce at his moment of awakening. He blinked open baby blue eyes and saw Silo curled by his shoeless feet, then let his gaze wander up. There, on his chest and stomach, was none other than Sasuke. The raven was in a deep slumber, his mouth partially open, but no drool stained the blond's plain, white T-shirt.

"Whazzya doin' curred up on meh shtomach?" Naruto slurred, sleep still hovering over him. He stretched, arching his stiff back, then pushed himself over, knocking Sasuke onto the floor rather harshly. He didn't pay attention to the shocked yelp, closing his eyes and falling back asleep, the sun no longer bothering him in his new position.

Staring up at the ceiling, Sasuke scowled. He sat up slowly, reaching an arm back to rub his sore spine, then winced. What had just happened? He'd been having a terribly wonderful dream about being wrapped in Naruto's arms, then he awoke to his head being slammed on the coffee table.

He rubbed his throbbing head and made a sour expression. Lucky for him, he didn't get another concussion. "Ow," he mumbled to no one but himself.

At the bottom end of the couch, Silo opened on eye, having been awake before Naruto shoved Sasuke onto the carpeted floor. He shifted the small purple blanket that was over him and carefully leaned forward, so he wouldn't wake his father.

"Are you ok?" he asked, worried.

Sasuke tilted his head to the side and nodded to the boy, lifting himself up and stretching. The warm sun that washed over his face was comforting the sudden blush that stained his cheeks could easily be mistaken for a flush of heat. He just realized that... he'd been tossed off of Naruto... Meaning he'd fallen asleep on the other actor the night before.

_Fuck, _ he winced inwardly. Good thing Naruto was in a groggy state when he'd shoved the raven off of him, or Sasuke would've been in for an hour of yelling, screaming, and shouts of "you fag, you tried to molest me in my sleep! You didn't touch my ass, did you?.! You didn't stick anything in there, did you?.!"

"I'm going to start breakfast," Silo whispered with a bright smile. Sasuke noticed that it was very different from his usual sweet smiles or delighted twitch of the lips. It was a full-blown grin that stretched from ear to ear, reached from one cheek to the other. "How do you want your eggs?"

Thrown off from his thoughts, he answered with a simple, "sunny side up."

The little crow carefully crawled off of the soft piece of furniture, easily moving over Naruto's legs and plopping his tiny feet onto the plush carpet. He gave Sasuke what appeared to be a wink, then disappeared into the large kitchen, humming a tune that was unfamiliar to the Uchiha.

Sasuke turned to look at Naruto's figure, the blond's back turned to him, his arm slung over the back of the couch, fingers twitching unconsciously. He furrowed his waxed brows and for some reason, his heart rate began to speed up, blood pumping through his ears, rushing through his entire body. He'd kissed the stupid idiot of a blond... **KISSSED** him while he was asleep.

Wasn't that, like... some form of face rape?

Shaking his head, the raven sighed and rubbed his temples, trying to sort everything out. He walked to the kitchen and passed Silo (who was wearing a cute pink apron while cooking eggs), then took a seat at the large dining room table. He slouched forward and pressed his palms against his forehead as he stared at his blurry reflection on the clean piece of furniture.

_I'm starting to doubt my own feelings, _he thought, _I tell myself it's just lust, but then I kiss him like he's the most precious thing to me... Oh God, what if I'm in love with that idiot? I'd rather slit my throat and drown in my own blood!_

If there was one thing a person needed to know about the Uchiha's, it was that they were models of denial.

After finishing up a batch of eggs and a few slices of low-fat buttered toast, Silo turned off the burners, lifting up the plates and taking them to the thoughtful raven. He placed the glass plates in front of Sasuke and smiled. "I hope you like it, Uchiha-san!" he chirped. "Because I'd like to make breakfast for you more often!" he then winked and skipped back over to the stove to make his and Naruto's meals.

Sasuke lifted his head slowly and lowered his hands to stare down at the eggs on his plate. They were oddly shaped and he squinted his eyes. His lips twitched and he then noticed that they were in the shape of two people kissing... and if the little crust manhoods were any indication, they were both men...

"What is..?" his eyes widened when he noticed some yellow yolk was smeared over one of the boys' hair, making it a golden color.

Fuck, it was Naruto.

"How much do you know?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes and turned toward the whistling youth cooking eggs.

Silo spun around and grinned, a spatula in his hand.

xXxXx

The host of the television program greeted her guests with a pretty smile, her business woman type of outfit very fitting for her strong facial structure. She bowed to Sasuke and Naruto, and knowing that Ino was born in France, kissed her on both cheeks. It was a very welcoming entrance and Naruto already knew that this interview was going to be smooth sailing.

Ino flattened her light pink skirt and spun around, giggling, showing off her perfect frame to her ex-boyfriend. "You didn't comment on my outfit, Naruto," she tapped him on the nose. "It's the one you chose for me when we went shopping together in Roppongi," she grinned. "You said it would show off my beautiful legs. Sooo, does it? Hm?" 

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Sasuke smirked. He found it funny that Naruto had spent so much money on the girl, then broke up with her just a few days later.

Naruto took Ino's manicured hand and spun her around, her skirt flying up. He saw the lacy panties and grinned. "Oh, real nice."

"Pervert!" she laughed and punched him on the arm, oblivious to Sasuke sudden look of jealousy. He hadn't meant to wear the expression, but he couldn't help it. Damn it, sometimes he wished he was a hot girl.

Kakashi came out from one of the access rooms, Iruka beside him. They were both talking, the dolphin wearing a cute blush on his tanned cheeks. He smiled and pressed a chaste kiss on Kakashi's lips before leaving, mumbling something about needing to pick up Haruka from his mother's.

"Ohayo, minna," the scarecrow raised his hand in greeting to the group of actors and rubbed his chin. "Naruto-kun, where's young Silo?"

"Itachi's babysitting him at the hospital. I was going to bring him with me, but thought it'd be pretty boring here back stage," the blond answered, arms crossed behind his head. He blinked when some of the workers there grabbed him and began rushing him toward the stage. "O-Oi, it's not time to go on yet, is it?"

"She's going to call you out soon," the workers all said at the same time, rushing Ino and Sasuke forward as well. They'd completely forgotten that certain shows called their guests out first before chatting with the audience. Damn.

"But I have to take a piss!" Naruto whined, causing Sasuke to chuckle as they were ruched onto the stage. He quickly plastered a grin on his face and waved to the screaming fans. There were signs being held up by fangirls and he blew them kisses. Sasuke and Ino rolled their eyes.

"Welcome, Yamanaka-san, Uzumaki-san, Uchiha-san," she bowed to all of them before letting them take a seat beside her desk. She wore a mature smile and began with her questions. "This movie, 'Without Faith'... my, it's already predicted to be the greatest movie this year!" she laughed. "There haven't even been any commercials airing for it yet!"

"It's because Sasuke-kun's such a wonderful actor," Naruto crooned, teasingly. The raven glared at him and Ino giggled. "There's nothing he does that's not above average, right?"

The host blinked, then smiled. "I see you and Uchiha-san have a very close relationship." Some girls in the crowd began whispering and giggling.

Naruto thought about that. "Now that I think about it... he's one of my best friends. I haven't even known him that long, either."

Sasuke felt his stomach flip and he coughed into his hand, drawing attention to himself. He cursed inwardly and spoke. "Opposites attract, I suppose."

A lot of fangirls squealed.

_Shit, wrong thing to say._

"I see," the host held down her own girly laugh. Like every female, she was a fangirl, DEEP DOWN. "Tell us, what is the film about?"

Naruto wanted to speak up, but he kept his mouth shut, having never been good with summarizing. Beside him, Sasuke thought about it. Maybe... it would be a relief to tell the world about it? He sighed and began.

"It's about something that happened in my life a long time ago. A relationship between a male teacher and myself," he made himself seem as if he was ok with what he was saying. "That didn't end well."

The crowd was quiet, but then there were whispers and even though Sasuke knew the news would be all over television and in the newspapers, he didn't regret making the small confession.

Ino and Naruto stared, dumbfounded, at their friend.

"The fuck?" Naruto mumbled.

xXxXx

"Why didn't you tell me about it sooner?.!" Naruto yelled at his friend while they were driving back to the blond's apartment. Sasuke had just explained everything to the dobe and Naruto, luckily, wasn't as mad and confused as the raven would've thought he'd been. There'd been no punches, just a lot of screaming and yelling. "I mean, I could care less about your affairs and shit, but it would've been nice if you would've told me I looked like your old sex buddy! Maybe you were trying to keep me from feeling akward during the kissing scenes or something, but still!"

"I said I was--"

"Sorry, sorry, I know," Naruto ran a hand through his hair as he entered his long gravel driveway that led up the grassy hill. "I'm just overreacting. I understand that you needed to say it to movie on, it just makes me mad that you waited so long to tell me. Hell, you didn't even tell **me**! You told people that you don't even know!" he huffed.

Sasuke smirked, glad that his closest friend wasn't too mad. "Jealous?"

"Pft, hardly," Naruto parked his car and was surprised to see Silo's bedroom light on, shadows moving about. "Huh... Itachi must've brought him home early," opening his door, he quickly made his way to the huge home, Sasuke right behind him.

The raven narrowed his eyes. Something wasn't right.

He shoved past Naruto, ignoring his curses, and opened the door, feeling uneasy when he saw that it was unlocked. When he entered the walk-in hall, he saw blood splattered over the carpet and tile, his eyes widening.

"Wh-what happened...?" Naruto stepped in slowly, then sped through the home, running upstairs, his right shoe slipping from his foot and falling noisely down the steps. "Silo!.!" he yelled, praying to God his son was alright. If anything had happened to him, he'd just die. His little boy was his everything. "Silo!" he hollered again, seeing the stains of blood right in front of his son's room. He heard a loud sob, then a wail, and he shoved open the door, not caring that the doorknob left a huge hole in the peach-colored wall.

His breath hitched when he saw Silo on the floor, leaning over a blood-covered boy, a puddle of crimson liquid around them. The figure under his son was coughing loudly and shaking, while Silo was crying. The crow lifted his head, his bright eyes red and puffy, tears staining his ivory cheeks.

"Ch-chichiue..." he whispered, then choked on a sob, leaning back and pulling the injured figure against him. "I-I wanted to call you, but I c-couldn't leave him!" he shifted his arms to reveal Majik, the boy pale, deep gashes and cuts all over him, his clothes torn.

xXxXx flashback xXxXx

_Majik sat at the kitchen table in his home, wrapping a gift he'd bought especially for Silo. He grinned at his master piece and lifted the box up, the bright pink ribbon fluttering around. Leaping off of his chair, he ran to his bedroom and hid the present deep under his bed, behind his box of old clothes. He jumped and hit his head on the metal bottom of the bed when his bedroom door opened and loud booming footsteps were heard._

_"Damn brat, get out from under there!" the old man yanked his adopted son out from under the queen-size bed and roughly turned him over, glaring down at him with gray eyes. He held up a glass bank in the shape of an iron cross. "Boy, what did you do with your savings?.!" he snarled._

_Majik sat up and rubbed his head, huffing. "I used it to buy Little Miss a birthday present, of course!"_

_The man growled and lifted Majik up by the shirt collar, clearly enraged. "First, I have to deal with your good for nothing brother disappearing and now you go and spend all of your fuckin' savings on a stupid gift for someone you hardly know?.! I feel like I've raised a bunch of fuckin' idiots!" he shoved the boy back and could've cared less when his head collided with the wooden dresser._

_"O-Ow!" Majik hit the floor hard, wincing. His dad never got that rough with him... He slowly lifted his head and saw the fire inside of his father's dark eyes and felt his heart stop. He remembered his brother's words the day he'd been let into the family._

_"Majik, listen. If Dad ever gets __**too**__ rough... run away. God, just run away."_

_His brother told him many times why he was adopted. It wasn't because his dad wanted him... it was because his brother had begged and pleaded for a baby brother. And for what? Majik found out that he was only adopted because his Nii-chan(1) wanted someone else to get beaten by his father instead of himself. He wanted to be free and let someone else take the abuse._

_But even though the truth was ugly... Majik loved his brother more than anything. He'd take any form of abuse if it meant giving his beloved Nii-chan his freedom. Majik had a family. It might not have been the best, but god... he had a home; a bed, food, water, and memories._

_Standing up slowly, Majik started walking slowly to the door, knowing he had to get away from his father now. He had to take this seriously or else it might get bad..._

_"First Hidan," his dad growled, "and now you! You both are worthless!" he stalked forward, intent on grabbing his son, but Majik flew out of the room, his shoes slamming loudly onto the wooden floor. He sharply turned the corner that led to the living room and cried out when he was shoved down by his parent._

_"Let go!" he cried and kicked, managing to escape the strong clutches. He ran out through the back door and sped through the backyard, his heart beating in his ears. He saw the neighbor's farm getting closer, tall barbed war blocking his path. There was the old, rusted fence twisted around wooden poles and digging into the earth; in front of it was the new one, taller and stronger than the old one. He stopped for a second, wondering how he was going to get through._

_He turned when he heard his father cursing at him, running through the back yard. "Get the fuck back here, you good for nothing wretch!"_

_Majik swallowed and looked down, seeing the hole under the fence that the neighbor's dog had dug when he'd chased after the neighborhood's stray cat. Dropping down, he began crawling under it, the skin of his back being torn by the extremely sharp edges._

_He didn't wince, used to pain. His ankles were grabbed and he dug his nails into the dry soil, determined to get away. He tugged himself forward, but was flipped around by the older man, the fence cutting his stomach, tearing through his legs, and ripping his arms. He flailed and slammed his foot into his dad's chin, sending him flying back._

_Turning back over, he quickly crawled under, blood seeping from all of his wounds. He stood on wobbling legs and ran through the woods, not stopping for anything. The sun had set during his struggle and his breath was coming out in huffs in the chilly air. All he could think about was going one person's home._

_He crossed a creek and had almost twisted his ankle when he stepped on a river rock the wrong way. Wiping his sweaty, blood-soaked face, he smeared the red liquid all over his cheeks, mouth, and forehead. His speed slowed down as he arrived at the back of Naruto's home and he stumbled to the back doors, knocking loudly, blood splattering on the glass._

_He felt his heart beating in his ears and his mind went blank before he could see Silo open the door._

xXxXx end flashback xXxXx

Majik opened his eyes and groaned softly when he felt water hit his face. He was lying in a large bathtub, water reaching just below his ears. He was nude, a white towel covering his waist, stained with blotches of incarnadine red. Looking up, he saw Silo hovering over him, tears dripping from his sad eyes, his hands shaking on their perch on the tub's side.

"Little Miss..."

Silo's eyes snapped open and he smiled in relief, leaning down to clutch his friend's hands in his. "Y-You're ok! Chichiue! Uchiha-san, he's alright!"

"So loud..." Majik blinked his violet eyes and let his fingers brush against Silo's warm hands. "Little Miss... why am I... naked?"

The crow let himself laugh, his tears drying as they trailed down his flushed cheeks. "We needed to c-clean your wounds," he wiped his eyes with the back of his left hand. "You only had a bunch of gashes and cuts, nothing too serious."

"Do ya think I could... maybe stay with ya for a while? I don't... wanna go back home. Not yet. Not until my Nii-chan comes back..."

Silo smiled. "I'm sure my chichiue will say yes."

Majik mustered the largest grin he possibly could in that state of weakness and pain.

xXxXx

Naruto sighed as he cleaned up the rest of the blood from the floors, wiping sweat from his brows. He tossed the dirty rag in his green bucket and moved them into the kitchen where Sasuke was on the phone. After he'd put both boys to bed, he'd asked Sasuke to call Itachi and ask why Silo was home by himself in the first place.

"Ah, then I'll call you tomorrow. Tell Hidan that his brother's alright..." Sasuke hung up the phone. "I didn't even know he had a little brother..." he mumbled to himself.

"What did he say?" Naruto asked, dumping the dirty water into the sink and just leaving the bucket and rags in there for tomorrow. He took off his cleaning gloves (-Cough- how manly -cough-) and tossed them into the bucket, too.

"He had an emergency meeting with the Akatsuki at five and refused to take Silo, for some unknown reason. He said Silo told him he'd been alone in the house before and that he'd be alright."

"Yeah, I do leave him alone sometimes because I know he'll be ok..." Naruto scratched the back of his neck. "So I shouldn't blame him... But damn, we need to report Majik's dad. Something worse could happen next time."

Sasuke nodded. "We'll call the police in the morning."

"You know..." Naruto started. "I was going to relax this evening. I was going to sit and watch some T.V. with you and Silo, and call up everyone so I could invite them up for Silo's birthday," he sighed. "But that didn't happen. Ahhh well, Majik's more important, right?" he smiled.

"We can still call them. It's only eight, dobe," Sasuke said with a smirk.

Naruto glared. "Don't back sass me, Teme, I'm too tired!"

Feeling strangely kind, Sasuke shrugged. "I'll call them for you. Go rest. Their numbers are on your cellphone, right?"

Blinking, Naruto nodded dumbly. "Mm, thanks. You're a good friend," he grinned. "I'm gonna go take a nap on the couch! Wake me up when you're done and make sure you tell them I'm paying for their flight tickets! Don't take too long, we're gonna watch a scary movie together!" he practically hopped out of the kitchen, plopping down onto the living room couch.

Sasuke let himself smile.

Damn, he'd admit it.

No matter how absurd...

He knew he was in love with the idiot.

**(1)- Majik calls Hidan Nii-chan instead of a Norwegian name because his father hates it when he uses anything other than Japanese in the house. He was basically programmed that way since he was adopted.**

**Sorry, I couldn't fit Sai and everyone arriving in this chap, but I will in the chap after the filler!**

**Next chap: A long filler about Itachi and Hidan. Their relationship, their pain, their love that's only a dream...**


	22. Itachi and Hidan Part 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**OMG, check out the fanart for this and the next chap! I have a lovely fan who is drawing me fanart for every chap XD Her name's Krystl and she's the shit, yo! Remember to take out the spaces and parenthesis.**

**http (:) // www . deviantart . com / deviation / 54762068 /**

**Here's another one by her which I soooo LOVE.**

**http (:) // www . deviantart . com / deviation / 54761409 /**

**Itachi and Hidan's friendship as children may seem too simple and silly, but think about it. They're KIDS. Everything in life is simple with them XD**

**Wow, this is gonna take up two chapters. And Itachi and Sasuke seem to go through the same changes in their pasts, showing you just how similar they really are.**

19 years ago

The school bell that signaled the end of the day rang, students flying out of their classrooms as if they were on fire. The teachers followed behind the groups of children, having a meeting to attend in the auditorium. At the very end of the hallway, Itachi walked, his books neatly tucked under his arms, taking his sweet time to go home. His body seemed relaxed, but he had on an annoyed face as a little silver-haired boy hopped up to him.

"Hi, Weasal-san!" the fellow student crooned, excited. "Guess what I'm doin' after school? Guess! Guess!"

Itachi remained quiet, wanting nothing more than to ignore the other. It was a hopeless cause, though, since Hidan never went away, just continued babbling on about things and how he was going to take a bunch of flowers to his mom in the hospital. After ten minutes of non-stop jabbering, Itachi finally snapped and twisted around.

"Quit following me," the shorter boy growled. He looked up into confused amethyst eyes, then blinked slowly at the brightness of the other's sudden grin. He didn't understand why the boy couldn't take a damn hint! Ever since the hide-and-seek incident during recess, Hidan had been following the Uchiha around constantly, as if he were a lost puppy.

_I've never seen him with anyone else... Maybe he doesn't have friends? Hn, who needs them, anyway, _Itachi snorted to himself, turning his face away from the happy child and continuing his walk home. As they approached the part of the neighborhood that consisted of large mansions and expensive condos, Hidan looked around with obvious intrigue. His eyes seemed to bug out of his head as Itachi came to an abrupt halt in front of a huge, white mansion just beside a lake.

"Wow, this place is huge. I bet he has an indoor pool..." Hidan mumbled under his breath, but Itachi heard.

The raven was quite startled. Before he'd even started school, he'd been intent on going to a public one, where everyone was normal. He wanted to be a part of their lives, not a part of a private school where everyone were complete snobs. He'd had friends when he'd begun, but as he grew older, everyone around him began to realize how big of a deal it was to be around a rich kid. They wanted nothing to do with him, just because of how much money he had.

In a school where the population consisted mostly of the rich, it wouldn't have been a problem... but Itachi was a rich boy in a place full of the middle class. He was an outcast and no one liked him because he had what they wanted. Money.

Now, Hidan didn't even care about the home he lived in or how much money he had.

"You're not like them," Itachi said softly, as if realizing something. "You're not like them at all."

The other fourth grader puckered his lips, confused. "What're you talking about, Weasal-san?"

Itachi suddenly smiled, just a tiny upturn of his lips, and typed in a code on the iron gate seperating him from his front yard. Pulling his school books to his chest, he looked at Hidan, the other's reflection in his dark eyes. "Do you... want to come in? I don't usually bring friends over... so I'm sure Okasan will be alright with it."

Blinking, Hidan grinned. "Uchiha Itachi is inviting me into his house? Awesome! I can't wait to tell Mom about this!" he laughed and skipped down the cobblestone path that led to the front doors of the mansion. Itachi yanked him back by the collar and glared, saying something about him leading the way. "I thought you didn't like me," Hidan started once again. "What with the way you were ignoring me. But I guess I was wrong, huh?" his laugh was loud and obnoxious, but for some reason, it didn't bother Itachi that much.

Opening the front door, Itachi let Hidan go in front, then called out into the spacious home. "Okasan! Tadaima!"

There was a clinking of glasses, a soft laugh, then a woman came out from one of the many halls, her stomach bulging out in the late months of pregnancy. She placed a pale hand on her tummy and smiled to both boys, a cup of water in her other hand.

"Okaeri, Itachi-chan," she welcomed her son warmly. "Who's your friend?" she lifted up the hand on her stomach and waved to the new child.

"Oh, um," Hidan blushed, having never met such a pretty mother (other than his own) before. "My name's Shungiku Hidan..." he became shy, fiddling with his fingers.

Itachi's mother laughed cheerfully and motioned them toward the kitchen. "It's nice to meet you, Hidan. Why don't you two make yourselves comfortable at the kitchen table? I'm almost done with dinner."

"Arigato, Okasan," the weasal led his 'friend' to the kitchen and took him to the table in the dining room right next door. He took his own spot and told Hidan to sit next to him, that no one was allowed to sit at the very end chair since it was his father's.

"Is your dad here?"

"No, he's hardly ever home. He goes on business trips a lot," Itachi answered honestly, not really bothered by it. "Right now, he's in France."

"Oh..." Hidan looked around, then spotted the clock. "I can't stay for long, I have to go pick up flowers. I promised my mom I'd buy her a bunch of white roses. Those are her favorites," he grinned, definitely a mama's boy.

Itachi nodded, crossing his hands on his lap. He loved his mother very much too. To him, she was his world, since his father was never really home. His mom, Mikoto, always took him to the park, the beach, to the store for new clothes and the occassional toy, since Itachi was more mature than other children his age.

"Why is she in the hospital?" he asked, curious.

Hidan bounced around in his seat, the scent of a delicious meal invading his senses and driving him nuts. He was starving and wanted food! He'd eat, say thanks, then be on his way to the flower shop. "Mom wouldn't tell me much, so I don't really know... But it can't be too bad," he grinned and practically drooled on the tablecloth when Mikoto brought in a yummy looking potroast, a Western meal.

xXxXx

Stepping into the hospital room, Hidan clutched the bundle of roses to his chest, grinning from ear to ear. He couldn't wait to see the look on his mother's face when he held out the beautiful white flowers for her. Stepping forward, he heard whispers from inside of the curtain surrounding his mom's bed and furrowed his brows.

"Mom?"

The curtains shifted and a small, chubby nurse stepped out, her curly, orange hair brushing against her shoulder blades. She looked startled and sad, her lips in a tight, thin line as she saw Hidan. "Hidan-kun..." she turned to look back at the hidden hospital bed. There were a few more voices, then two male doctors stepped out, wearing white mouth masks and gloves.

Swallowing, Hidan's body shook. The doctors never wore those things when they visited the room... He only ever saw them when they were doing surgery or getting rid of a ... body...

"I want to see Mom," his voice was childish, yet full of raw feelings. He stepped toward them, fingers tightening around the wrapped flower stems.

"Hidan-kun--"

"I want to see Mom, now!" he shouted, running past them and shoving himself into the small area around the bed. He wanted to see his beautiful mother, wanted to see the smile she gave him every time he visited. But instead, he was met with a frail woman who had a pale complexion, her eyes closed, lips blue. His body froze.

"She died during the night. I'm very sorry," one of the doctor's said sadly, moving forward and resting a hand on the child's shoulder.

"B-but how? She was just here..."

Dropping the flowers, Hidan cried, his heart aching in his chest, the flowers seemingly wilting by his feet.

xXxXx

The rest of the week, Itachi had noticed his "friend's" absence and at first, had brushed it off as Hidan just being sick. There was a flu going around and he thougt that maybe the other boy had caught it, but then Monday rolled around and Hidan came back, not giving the teacher the excuse of being sick, but that his mother had died.

Itachi looked to his side when Hidan sat next to him during lunch, the silver-haired child eating his bento box quietly. There was no real expression on his face as he munched on an octopus ball, and for some reason, that annoyed the raven. He'd wanted to make friends with Hidan because he was completely different from all of the other students, and because he was always so happy and cheerful, something Itachi envied very much. But now Hidan was so sad and it bothered the Uchiha, as much as it upset him.

But even though he was a little upset, Itachi didn't say anything.

The taller students spared a glance and their eyes met.

"You don't have to talk about it," Itachi said honestly, and Hidan smiled brightly.

That was when their friendship began to blossom.

xXxXx

Three months later, Uchiha Sasuke was born. The newborn baby had a little crown of dusty hair atop his head, his chubby fingers wriggling around as his lungs using all of their strength to louden his cries. He squirmed around in Mikoto's arms, his toothless mouth wide open as he wailed, hungry.

Smiling tiredly, she brushed her fingers over his small arms and beckoned for her eldest son and his best friend to come forward, so they could take a peek at the whining baby. Itachi and Hidan scrambled to the bed, their eyes full of curiousity. The little raven-haired boy reached out and touched the clutching hand of his baby brother and suddenly, he felt warmth fill him, a smile gracing his usually unmoving lips.

Hidan stared at the baby, not the least bit fazed to see it suckling on Mikoto's breast. He saw it all the time on television, reminding himself that his beautiful mother used to do the same for him when he was brought into the world. He then smiled and whispered a 'hello'. Nudging Itachi's shoulder, he said:

"You're a big brother, Weasal-san."

Itachi watched Sasuke whimper as he drank from his mother, his tiny hands closing and opening, palms brushing against the towel wrapped around himself.

xXxXx

13 years ago

Itachi pressed the pair of glasses up the bridge of his nose, his school uniform baggy on his scrawny frame. He'd grown into an akward stage of life during the past few years, and now as a freshman in high, he was tall (still shorter than Hidan), lanky, and well... nerdy. He was still cute... in a dorky kind of way.

Looking at himself in the long mirror placed by his bedroom door, he tightened his belt and glared at his messy, long hair. He'd brushed it a million times, but it kept it's annoying, wavy style. On his king-size bed, Hidan swung his legs onto the floor and leaned back, staring up at the cracked ceiling, his slicked-back hair tickling the nape of his neck.

Unlike Itachi, Hidan had grown beautifully. He had good muscles, soft skin, a handsome face, shining eyes, a youthful personality, and popularity. He scratched behind his ear and yawned, glancing over at the picture of him and Itachi at summercamp. Ah, such memories. He could never forget beating up that bunch of bastards for picking on his best friend and calling him a fag.

"Are you done yet?" he whined. "We're gonna be late!"

Adjusting his tie, Itachi turned and grabbed his books off of the bed. "Let's go," he said, angry that no matter what he did, he'd be stuck with his homely looks. Just like their childhood, he was extremely jealous of his best friend. But despite his jealousy, he'd never get angry with Hidan just because he was born with better looks. The other boy couldn't help it.

Hidan hopped off the bouncy mattress and followed behind Itachi, a small backpack hanging over his shoulder. He blew on the back of the raven's neck and pointed to down at the bottom of the steps. A little Sasuke ran by, his healthy mother chasing after him with a loving smile on her face. She managed to grab him under the armpits and lifted him up, laughing along with her little boy. She turned and saw both Hidan and Itachi walking downstairs.

"Look who it is, Sasuke-chan, it's your aniki," she walked forward and gave Itachi a kiss on the cheek before handing Sasuke to him. Itachi took him without resistance, placing the little raven on his shoulders and heading to the kitchen to grab his breakfast-to-go.

"G'morning, Miko-chan!" Hidan hugged the woman affectionately and skipped into the kitchen to grab Itachi's piece of toast, putting it between his lips with a grin when the raven narrowed his dark eyes. "You snooze, you lose, Weasal-san!"

"Aniki," the six-year old boy began. "Shisui-kun is coming over tomorrow for your birthday on Saturday. He said he has a really big surprise for you!"

Itachi groaned. Their cousin, Uchiha Shisui, was a strange boy who came up with the weirdest ideas sometimes. The last time he'd visited, frogs had ended up swarming the entire house and the basement had been flooded with snake-infested waters.

"I don't want any surprises from that fool," he sneered, yanking his piece of toast from Hidan's lips and biting into it. "Come on, Hidan, let's go," putting Sasuke down, he poked his forehead.

"Hai!" Hidan saluted. "See ya, Sasu-chan! Miko-chan!" then they both left, Itachi mumbling something about chemistry homework.

xXxXx

Inside of the second floor bathroom, Hidan lifted a cigarette to his lips and laughed at Itachi, who was desperately trying to fix his hair in the mirror with water. Breathing out a puff of smoke, he jumped off of the sturdy, white sink and patted his friend on the shoulder. "You need serious help," was all he said before his hand was slapped away.

The weasal glared at him and snarled, but it only looked funny with his large glasses and loose clothes. "Some people aren't born with good looks, unlike you," he growled, rubbing water on his face to get rid of the sweat from gym class. "I'd like to be handsome and have a boyfriend like you--"

"Ah, I broke up with Kousaka," Hidan grinned impishly. "He's not as tight as he used to be, so I tossed him aside."

Itachi screwed his face up in both disgust and envy. "I also wish I could be handsome enough to just bring in lovers, then just toss them aside if I became sick of them..."

Hidan burnt his cigarette out on the side of the sink and tossed it into the trashcan, crossing his arms. "You're cute, Weasal-san, you just have to change your style. If you did... hell, I'd fuck you."

The raven growled once again and Hidan laughed nervously, scratching the nape of his neck. "I mean... just kidding! Hah...hah-hah... ehhh," he trailed off, frowning. "Have a sense of humor!"

"That was a lousy joke," Itachi snorted and gave up on trying to save his hair, instead, choosing to lean against one of the bathroom stalls with a sigh.

"You really don't like how you look..." Hidan blinked, having never thought his friend's hate for his looks would've gotten so bad. "You know, I like how you look, Itachi..." it was the first time in years that Hidan had been serious and called Itachi by his name.

"But you wouldn't fuck me," the raven grounded out, having never really used foul language before.

Hidan remained silent, _Does he really... hate himself that much? I never thought he'd get this bad._

Itachi just sighed in frustration and rubbed the tense muscles in his neck, before walking past Hidan and leaving the restroom.

xXxXx

"Shisui."

"Itachi."

The two cousins gave each other what would seem like a friendly hug, then Shisui (a boy with light brown hair and hazel eyes) grabbed Itachi's hand and yanked him off into the bathroom, where he shrugged off his shoulder bag and sat it on the counter. Itachi tugged his hand away and watched in both fascination and horror, Shisui sitting various bottles of shampoos and conditioners, hair straighteners, perfumes, lotions, make-up kits, and other small trinkets on the bathroom counter.

"I'm going to doll you up," the male smirked like the devil himself, lifting up a set of black contacts.

An entire two hours went by before Mikoto came home from work, Sasuke with her, playing with one of his toy airplanes. He climbed up the stairs and as he ran to his room, Itachi and Shisui emerged from the bathroom, the weasal wearing a blindfold. He stumbled a bit, but regained his balance on the doorframe.

"Aniki?" Sasuke blinked large, obsidian eyes.

"Otouto, what do I look like?"

The smaller Uchiha furrowed his brows, then tilted his head to the side. "Really different... but you're pretty, Aniki!" he exclaimed with a big smile.

At that moment, Itachi shoved his cousin to the side and yanked the blindfold from his eyes, running back into the bathroom, eyes wide at his reflection. There were no more blemishes or pimples on his face, hidden underneath a thin, but perfect layer of blush; his clothes consisted of a pair of low-riding baggy blue pajama pants and a tight black, sleeveless top; his hair was perfectly straight and smooth, down to mid-back; and his lips were glossed.

He looked...

"Stunning, I know," Shisui grinned. "I'm good with these kinds of things. My best friend's a drag queen, you know? I have to help him get ready for dates every now and then."

Itachi ran his fingers through his tangle-free hair, noticing that his nails were a light purple. He smiled at his reflection and his self-esteem was raised a few notches. He didn't feel so inferior anymore. Years of going to school with kids who hated him because of his money, then hated him because he was homely, had brought his self-esteem to a dangerously low level. He didn't show it, but he'd hated himself. Hidan had been the only person keeping him from breaking down.

"Just wash your face off and climb into bed, your hair will stay just as straight for the next three days. Your birthday's tomorrow, and I'm sure you'll want to show your new look off. Believe me, you'll have men on their knees begging to touch you."

Itachi kept himself from blushing and slowly turned the faucet on, letting water pool in his hands. He then rubbed his soaked palms over his face, drops of water dripping down his chin. Lifting his head, he looked at himself in the mirror.

He was a new person... completely new man...

And for some reason, as happy as he was, he was worried Hidan wouldn't like the change...

**Ok, end of part one... yeah I had to split it into two diff parts XD It would've been too long if I hadn't.**

**Reviews would be appreciated! Lova ya, dolls!**


	23. Otosan

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**MUST READ: The second part to the Itachi and Hidan filler will be up in an upcoming chapter. Ya see... I typed it all up, but wasn't able to save it all before my comp restarted myself. The honest truth, ya'll! So it'll be up some later time... plus, it's a good chance to gain my NaruSasu groove back. The ItaHidan second filler is gonna be full of drama XD**

**I wrote this while listening to the new Death Note opening, What's Up, People? by Maximum the Hormone... Um, I suggest you listen to it on youtube and see what kind of crack gives me inspiration XD Haha**

**Ningen sucker!**

**Ningen fucker!**

**"There's... so many logs. Why are there so many logs? Why Danielle? WHY?.!" -- Sasuke**

Two days had passed and Majik was acting like himself again, laughing and saying random things while he and Silo did their make-up homework together. The little crow refused to go to school when his good friend was stuck at home alone, so he asked (forced) his dad to go to his school and collect their work. He also made him call Kakashi so Haruka could know what was going on. The other boy basically freaked out and ran from his home to Naruto's.

"My Niisan's in the hospital? Again?" Majik grinned and put together a Lion King puzzle, making roaring noises as he did so, giggling to himself. His arms and legs were bandaged up, his wounds almost completely healed, leaving only faint scars behind.

Haruka frowned. "What do you mean 'again'?"

Majik looked up. "I dunno why, but he goes to the hospital a lot. Mostly 'cause of withdrawal or somethin' like that," he shrugged. "But he hasn't been home in a long time, so I guess this is one of his longer trips."

Silo bit his bottom lip and looked at his friend. "He's not in there because of that... Majik, he was in an accident and--"

The other child's eyes widened and glazed over in what looked like absolute fear. He reached forward and gripped Silo's frail shoulders, eyes searching the other's. "An accident? Is my Niisan ok?.! I-I don't want him to leave me!" he yanked his hands away and immediately started wiping at his eyes. "If he's gone, I won't have anyone! My dad will..." he trailed off, suddenly so different from his usual self.

"Don't worry," Silo gripped Majik's hands, pulling them away from his watery eyes. "He's ok. Do you want to go see him? I'm sure my chichiue would take us."

Majik nodded eagerly, wanting to see his brother who he hadn't spoke to for about a week.

xXxXx

Hidan laughed with Itachi as they put on a small puppet show together. A few kids from the cancer section of the hospital had snuck in, wanting to meet the great Uchiha Itachi. The weasal was a very well known actor and director and had done a few good children movies, making him extremely popular among the kids who recognized him.

They had a puppet of each Akatsuki member with them, putting on a play about the daily life of the Akatsuki. They, of course, wouldn't delve too deep into their dealings with drugs, weapons, and murder.

Hidan grinned and began his part with the Deidara puppet, the little blond brushing his silky hair with a light purple brush. All of the kids laughed and he thought about his brother. He hadn't seen him for quite a while and thought back on the things he would've said to Itachi if the raven had just agreed to loving him...

He suddenly smiled sadly, his amethyst eyes losing their shine. He'd wanted to movie into a small home with Itachi, somewhere far from the city... He'd wanted to quit as an Akatsuki member and have his little brother move in with them, basically as his and Itachi's child. He'd wanted so much, but could not have it...

"Out children!" a nurse yelled as she found them in the hospital room. She beckoned them out with the promise of icecream, then said her apologies to the two male occupants before shutting the door and scorning the kids out in the hallway, pointing her finger at them.

Itachi took the Kakuzu puppet off of his hand and laid it down on the bed, raising a waxed brow in Hidan's direction. "What's wrong?"

Hidan didn't miss a beat. "Everything," he sighed and scratched the back of his head with his good arm, wincing at his aching ribs. "I know I promised not to talk about it... but I really wish you could love me back," his smile was strained. He noticed Itachi's frown and laughed brokenly. "I wanted us to be a family... you, me, and Majik... Fuck, he needs to get away from our dad. I messed up when I adopted him and left him there with that man... I just want to bring him into a home where he's loved," his voice cracked, his built up frustration making itself evident. "I need to escape from the cage I'm trapped in, build myself a better life, but I can't! I fuckin' can't because I have to stay by your side! How am I supposed to save him and myself when I'm so... trapped..."

Itachi gripped the other man's bruised hand. "You don't have to stay by my side. Take Majik and leave, give him the life he deserves. If it were my otouto, I would do anything to take make him happy."

"I know, but... I'm so in love with you. I sound so corny, but... what else can I say?" Hidan kept himself from weeping. "I promised myself years ago that I would stay by your side no matter what, no matter my feelings, no matter the circumstances," he gripped onto the hand that rested on his. "I'm in so much pain, I have a little brother who needs my support, my future to think about... but my promise of protecting you comes above all else."

"Hidan--"

"Niisan!" the door was shoved open and Majik ran in, stopping himself before he jumped onto his injured brother. His eyes were watery, but he grinned like a chimpanzee, touching Hidan's arm cast lightly with tiny fingers. "Niisan, you're ok!"

Hidan looked extremely surprised, tears finally slipping down his peach-colored face. It seemed after years of working, mental abuse, and fatigue, he was finally worn out and breaking. He wrapped his good arm around Majik and silently cried, his shoulders shaking. He blinked his dull eyes, trying to keep away more tears, their shattered beauty practically calling out to Itachi.

Silo and Haruka came in, followed by both Naruto and Sasuke. The smaller Uchiha nodded to his brother, but received no look of acknowledgement. He noticed the stare his older brother was sending at the shaking Hidan and let a small smile rest upon his lips. He knew that look anywhere...

It was the same look he caught himself giving Naruto.

xXxXx

The rest of the morning had gone by in a blur, full of people crying and nurses yelling at Naruto when he began playing with the used syringes. It was now the afternoon and Sasuke had finally, after completely forgetting about it, told the blond about inviting Sai and everyone to Japan for Silo's birthday. They were to pick them all up at the airport at three and it was already two.

"I've missed them," Naruto sighed, but smiled. His eyes shimmered with happiness at the thought of being with his good friends again, especially Sai. He'd missed the pale boy, as much as a World War 2 veteran missed his blown off leg.

Sasuke sped down the highway, trusting Naruto with the task of watching for the fuzz. He put his blinker on and merged into the other lane, telling Naruto to look over the bridge at the Tokyo Airport. He knew the blond hadn't seen it from so high up and he smiled inwardly, knowing what his friend's reaction would probably be.

"We're so high up!" Naruto smooshed his cheek against the glass window and pressed his warm palms against it, too, leaving smudge marks. His blue eyes were wide as they passed by, the aiport so small looking. It was almost as if they were in a plane, looking down at the city of New York. "I've never seen it from up here!"

The raven glanced over at the childish man and resisted the urge to grab his hand. He knew that his feelings were forming too fast, he **knew** that... He just didn't know how to stop it. He didn't choose to fall in love with such an idiot, but he did, and he was falling hard. Looking back at the road, he went off the exit down the mountain and they got closer and closer to their destination.

Naruto saw his friend's strange look in the reflection on the window, but only shrugged, thinking the Uchiha had zoned out. Though, that wasn't a very safe thing to do when you were speeding down a highway. They passed a few signs, then arrived at the huge airport, planes flying overhead, landing on the strips of pavement behind the building.

He parked in a special parking area and they both exited, walking across the thin road and passing several other people who were talking in Mandarin Chinese. But as they reached the doors, they paused, watching as Sai and everyone came out, glaring at the both of them.

"You're late!" Sakura growled and slapped Naruto on the back of the head, then latched onto Sasuke's arm and smiled. "Konnichiwa, Sasuke-kun!" she chirped sweetly.

Naruto rubbed his head, but the pain didn't stop the huge grin from spreading across his face when he saw a handsome Sai standing there, waiting for a hug. The blond leaped into his arms and kissed him out of old habit, smiling and laughing like a dork.

Sasuke stared at the scene with slight jealousy. He wanted those pink lips on his, not Sai's.

There were many loud greetings between Naruto and his other friends, while Sasuke just nodded his head in acknowledgement. The pretty Hinata was wearing a gorgeous white dress, her bangs back in a clip. She resembled a porcelain doll, so gentle she could break. Lee was bouncing as he walked, looking around at his old homelands with a brilliant smile, his pearly whites blinding every pedestrian that passed him by. Kiba, who had been invited by Sasuke, was looking around like "I never wanted to come back to this shit hole, why didn't I just stay home?". But even so, he seemed happy to back with the raven for a while, even if it was only for a little bit.

"You all are going to have to squeeze in the back," Sasuke stated while unlocking his sleek, black vehicle.

"I call shotgun!" Kiba snickered and ran to the front, but immediately stopped in his tracks when Sasuke tossed him the famous Uchiha glare, his black eyes almost bleeding into red. "U-Um, or not?" he knew why the bratty twerp wouldn't let him sit up front. It was because he wasn't to oggle his blond companion the whole ride home.

_Che, horny bastard, _ he sneered inwardly.

xXxXx

"Ro-chan!" Silo jumped into Sai's open arms and let himself be kissed on the cheek, always loving the affection. He reached over his shoulder and touched Hinata's cheek in a caring gesture, causing the small girl to smile softly and press her fingers against his tiny hand. He then waved to Sakura, Lee, and Kiba, too comfortable in Sai's arms to leap into theirs.

"How have you been, birthday boy?" Sai asked in kindly. He'd missed the small boy... hell, he'd missed Naruto, too, but he always knew he'd see the blond again. He'd just been worried about missing Silo grow up.

"Good," Silo replied. "I made two really good friends and Uchiha-san has been treating me well!"

Sai turned to look at Sasuke, who was speaking to naruto about something. He saw the soft expression on the other's face and almost let himself frown, but he told himself that Naruto wasn't gay, that he wouldn't fall for the Uchiha.

_But if he did... what could I really do?_

"Ok, here's how it's going down!" Naruto raised his voice to get everyone's attention. "All of you, except Kiba, will be staying here at my place. I have enough guest rooms for each of you to have your own."

"Hey, how come I'm not staying here?" Kiba grumbled, already a little upset that he'd have to stay in Japan without his darling Akamaru.

Sasuke stared at him. "Actually, I think you should stay here. There's not enough room in my apartment with both Itachi and I there."

Naruto scratched his chin. "Huh, then I guess he can stay with us... then I'll have Silo sleep with me and have Hinata sleeping in his bed. You trust Hinata-chan with your room, right, Silo?"

The little boy nodded. "Ne, Chichiue, do you think... I could spend the night with Uchiha-san tonight? I want to be here with everyone, but I don't think you want a kid around while you guys get drunk," he chirped cutely.

Sakura scowled. "I never get drunk!"

"..." Naruto laughed nervously. "You know what? I think that's a good idea. What do you think, Teme? Up for the challenge of watching my son?"

The younger Uchiha crossed his arms and snorted, taking the situation too lightly. "Of course."

xXxXx

Sasuke regretted his decision to have a "sleepover" with the little crow.

The little boy was bouncing around his apartment in a pair of soft, baby blue pajamas and yellow socks, his silky hair flinging all around as he giggled and made airplane noises. Even though he was a very smart and perceptive child, he was just like any other kid, hyper and loud. Silo tried to leap over the couch, but failed miserably and tumbled onto the floor, groaning, his head spinning.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked with a raised brow. He'd only given the boy a single candy bar... That one snack turned Silo into a monster; a loud, spastic monster.

Silo sat up abruptly and rubbed his sore neck, climbing to his feet and falling onto the sofa, his head on Sasuke's muscle thigh. He looked up at the older man with bright eyes and grinned. It was such a Naruto kind of look that it made Sasuke's left eye twitch.

"Uchiha-san... Do you love my chichiue?" the boy asked suddenly, fiddling with the collar of his pajama top. His voice held no teasing quality; it was just filled with pure curiousity and wonder.

The raven almost choked on his saliva, staring down at Silo with dark eyes. The T.V. in front of them was almost completely quiet, the volume down. Its blue light flashed in the room, tinting their skin the same color.

"Do I... what?" he wasn't quite sure if he heard right.

"Do you love my chichiue? You kissed him the other night, didn't you? Chichiue tells me that you only kiss someone when you love them... How come he never kisses you?"

"Because..." he sighed. "Because he doesn't like men. The love is just one-sided, if you know what that means..."

Silo nodded slowly. "But you're really kind, and funny, and you'd make..." he quieted down, "You-- I want you to be my Otosan... I wish Chichiue would fall in love with you too, so you could be my Otosan," he tugged on Sasuke's sleeve and smiled hopefully.

Sasuke didn't stop his hand from moving to Silo's face. He let his fingers brush back the soft locks of dark hair, thinking that the boy did indeed look like an Uchiha. He had the pale skin, black hair, and sharp mind...

"Even if he doesn't like me back... I'll be your Otosan anyway. How about that... Musuko (son)?" the raven felt so wamr when he said that. He felt like a father, a real father with his son in his arms.

Silo lifted himself up and crawled onto the raven's lap, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and burying his head into the crook of his warm neck. He closed his eyed and smiled against the skin, feeling tired, yet extremely happy.

"Are you tired?" Sasuke asked, about to get up so he could take Silo to bed. The crow refused, though, snuggling deeper into the man's body as the T.V. screen continued to flash, quieted words reaching his ears.

"Mmmm, lemme stay in your arms..." he mumbled sleepily, closing his eyes and breathing softly. "Goodnight... Otosan..."

Sasuke smiled and wrapped his arms around the beautiful child, pulling him against him and feeling as if he could cry. He wondered if this was what if felt like for Naruto every single day. The want to make this precious boy happy, wanting to give him the world but only able to give him just a tiny fraction of it, the desire to hold him in wish that he'd never grow older.

"Goodnight," he whispered back, kissing Silo's forehead and rocking him back and forth slowly as he watched the cartoons on T.V.

That was how Itachi found them when he returned home in the middle of the night, covered in scrapes and blood. He went into the kitchen and dressed his wounds, his face blank, but a smile on the inside. He was glad that his little brother had something to cherish when he, himself, was not there.

Itachi looked at his shaking hands, then to the gun attached to his waist.

He was glad that Sasuke could have two beacons of light, when he only had one that was slowing flickering out.

**I'm sorry this was so short, I'll make it up next chap.**

**Next chap: Silo's birthday, the Akatsuki arrives, and Orochimaru's next moves. (Yeah, doesn't sound like much, but hey, it'll take an entire chap.)**


	24. Otanjobi Omedetto!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, never will... but a girl can dream, can't she?**

**Yo gay men out there, HOLLA!**

**I now have a Gaia account XD if ya wanna be my friend, my name's Vanity-sama. Also, check out my deviantart and there's a pic of younger and older Majik on there:Heart:**

**This story is dedicated to Weelittleboots a.k.a. Xa Oppa! All of you pray to God that I'll be able to talk to him soon :Tears: I miss him so much... :Sobs:**

**And in the Itachi and Hidan scene, Itachi seems out of it and a little more emotional than usual. But it's because of what he went through the night before... which you'll find out what happened once you read on XD**

**Silo's more girly in this chap, mainly cuz he's excited about his b-day. XD**

"I wanna go home."

"We can't go back until the preperations are done."

"Then buy my a cinnamon bun."

"I'm sort of... low on cash right now."

"... Why couldn't we have gone to the park? At least I wouldn't be tempted by the sight of yummy pastries there."

"How about I let you look at the yaoi books and you shut up?"

"That works, too!"

Silo smiled innocently and scurried off through the bookstore, while Sai stood by the front doors skimming through a gay magazine. That day, the little kid seemed to be more cockier and hyper than usual, which made Sai happy because he knew Silo was doing well in his new home, but also had him annoyed because he was starting to act like a certain someone.

Namely, Uchiha Sasuke.

Staring down at a well-endowed man in tight pink shorts, he frowned. Not because of the picture, but because he realized that Sasuke was now a huge influence on Silo's life. It used to be just Sai and Naruto teaching the little boy the lessons of life... Now it was just Naruto and the cocky bastard known as Sasuke.

Closing the magazine, Sai set it back on the shelf and made his way to the manga section, where he knew Silo would be, looking through dozens of yaoi books. The boy hardly knew anything about sex, but damn if yaoi didn't just draw you in. No one could resist a cover with guys kissing... and doing other things.

"When can we go back home?" Silo asked as he read through a small book.

"In thirty minutes. What? You don't like spending time with your Ro-chan anymore?"

The crow looked up and grinned. "No, but I'm impatient! It's my birthday... I want to open presents and eat a lot of cake!"

Sai ruffled the boy's hair and smiled. "How many more birthday parties can we have before you get sick of them?" he trailed off, thinking now of how fast the child was growing up. It seemed like just yesterday when he'd held the newborn infant in his arms as his mother slept in the hospital bed.

Silo blinked and tilted his head to the side in confusion.

xXxXx

Hidan's tired eyes snapped open as soon as his hospital door opened. It was pitch black in the room since he refused to sleep with the lights on, and he knew that the nurses and doctors never dropped by during one of his naps. Sitting forward slowly, he reached beside him and quietly searched around through his Akatsuki cloak that was hanging over the chair next to his bed.

Pulling out the gun from the inner pocket (Itachi had placed it back in there once the doctors had checked his belongings), he aimed. But then the lights flickered on and he flinched at the brightness, his eyes unfocusing for a second. He blinked and lowered his arm when he saw that it was only Itachi and Kakuzu.

"What're you two doing here?" Hidan grumbled, irritated. He hadn't been getting enough rest lately.

Kakuzu scowled beneath his loose white mask and walked forward, running his piercing gaze over all of his comrade's healing wounds. "**I **came to see how much longer you would be in this god forsaken place. Telling by your wounds, I give you another week, then maybe you can leave in a wheelchair," the bulky man sneered. "You're a useless piece of shit, Hidan, always getting yourself injured. I hear that you went overboard with the drugs again, too."

Hidan huffed and tilted his head back in a superior way. "Yeah, but I got injured in a very heroic way!"

"We're the Akatsuki, we're not heroic people!" the taller of the two snarled. Itachi was just standing by the foot of the bed, looking down at the sheets covering Hidan's legs. Kakuzu gripped Hidan's arm tightly and narrowed his bright green eyes. "Listen to me. As soon as you get out of this damn place, you'll have to make up for your lack of work days. Leader hates slackers."

Hidan ripped his good arm away and glared. "I'm not slacking, I'm just stuck in a fuckin' bed with eighty percent of my bones broken! I'm so sorry if I'm not out on the streets selling my body and looking for information!"

"Kakuzu," Itachi's cold voice brought the bickering to a halt. "You've already seen what condition he's in, so leave."

Kakuzu scoffed and turned on his heel, heading straight for the door. "Itachi, you better fill that asshole in on Orochimaru's new plans," then he left and closed the door behind him with a loud click.

Scratching behind his neck, Hidan laughed. "Good ol' Kakuzu, still a bastard, even when I'm in the hospital. Soooo, about Orochimaru's new plans?" he grinned, but Itachi saw how different the lopsided look was. It was no longer from the heart.

He wanted to tell Hidan he loved him... but the consequences just weren't worth it.

"He's after Naruto-kun."

The silver-haired male's gorgeous amethyst eyes became round in shock and he furrowed his brows. "But... why? Kinpatsu has nothing to do with our organization!"

Itachi's words came out low and dangerous, foreshadowing future events. "That snake plans to get to my brother by snatching Naruto-kun away. He wants to get rid of him, have my otouto in his grasp, and he believes that will weaken me. He'll harm innocent people just to get to **me**."

Hidan saw the small amount of pain in his best friend's eyes and forced himself to move forward, hissing in agony as his broken legs throbbed. He ignored their aching and reached his uninjured arm forward, wrapping it weakly around Itachi's shoulders as the raven stared down at his hands which were covered in bandages.

"Itachi," the man whispered and pulled the Uchiha against his chest, his broken ribs throbbing in protest. "Weasal-san... what happened to you last night? Your hands are cut and you look like a broken china doll," his smile was soft, unlike usual.

Itachi lowered his hands and let his head rest against his friend's shoulder. He needed the comfort; it wasn't every day that the strong Uchiha Itachi was seen in a moment of complete weakness.

"I'm a drug dealer, I murder people... but I kill those who deserve it," he growled. "Orochimaru kills everyone around me, to taunt me, to scare me, even when they're innocent. Last night, I had to murder a few leaders of an underground drug company, but one of Orochimaru's men had gotten there first. He'd shot everyone there..."

Hidan knew that Itachi was emotionless during his murders, but when someone died that didn't deserve it, he lost his cold and indifferent mask. Brushing his fingers through the weasal's hair, he said, "You tried to save them, didn't you? But Orochimaru's man was too much to handle? Che, to think that asshole has such strong henchmen," he tried to smile reassuringly. "But don't worry... you're Uchiha Itachi; the man who'll inherit the position as Leader of the Akatsuki in three years, the man who can balance work and be there for his little brother, and the man with a heart of pure gold but a face of dull indifference!" he laughed, but shut himself up when Itachi pressed against him and looked up into violet eyes.

"You're too loud."

"..." Hidan then began to laugh, his pearly whites bared for all the world to see.

Itachi gave a half-hearted smirk and despite his mental state, leaned up and captured those lips as soon as they closed, surprising his friend. Hidan didn't know how to react. He wanted the kiss, but he knew Itachi was only doing it because he needed comfort. When Uchiha's fell from their skies of power, they fell hard.

Pulling away, he sighed. "Weasal-san--"

"I've always wanted to be with you this way, even when I was that unpopular nerd in school," Itachi's smile was faint, but definitely there. "The fact that I was unattractive kept me from saying something to you."

"You weren't una--"

"And even when my cousin changed my appearance, I felt dull in comparison to you. I was just a dark beauty, while you outshined the sun and drew everyone in."

Hidan remained quiet for the first time in his life.

Itachi shook his head and chuckled. "And I still felt like I couldn't confess... then I got tied into the drug business and you became trapped with me, too. I knew then that no matter what, I wouldn't be able to be with you, mainly because of the danger. Orochimaru had been a threat back then as much as he is a threat right now--"

Blinking, the other man grinned, despite the conversation. "You **do** love me then?"

Chuckling, Itachi pulled away, not wanting to injure his friend's ribs any further. "I do, but that knowlegde will have to stay hidden between you and me, alright? A secret."

His eyes lighting up, the violet-eyed Akatsuki member yanked Itachi up (ignoring the annoyed grunt) and planted his chapped lips firmly on Itachi's. Oh how his heart had healed while hearing those words. His Weasal-san was his... they could only be in a relationship in secret, so that Orochimaru wouldn't find out, but Hidan wasn't complaining! Sex when both know each other's feelings was WAY better than sex without knowing.

Hell yeah.

xXxXx

Silo jumped from one foot to the other as he and Sai stood right outside of the huge home, waiting for someone to answer to the locked door. Sai hoped that they weren't drunk because that would've ruined the party for sure. Placing a hand on Silo's head, he tried to keep him still since all of the jerky movements were making him ill.

The door was yanked open a few moments aftewards, Sakura wearing a cute baby blue party hat and holding a party popper, which she knew the tiny crow loved. The boy enjoyed making the trinkets as much as he loved his father.

"Happy birthday!" she cheered and placed a little plastic crown on the child's head with a huge smile. "Come inside, presents are awaiting you!"

Silo happily obliged and ran in with the speed of a bullet train, tearing through the main hall to get to the living room where everyone was (including a Majik and Haruka), presents in a pile on the floor. AHe squealed in joy.

Ever since birth, Naruto had started the tradition of giving gifts first, basically because he wanted his son's special day to start with something that proved he was loved. He didn't want him to think too much on his mother never coming to see him on his birthday.

"Happy birthday, Silo!" everyone cheered. Unfortunately, Sasuke was absent.

"Such youth and splendor!" Lee shouted over everyone else, his fists in the air. "Silo-kun, I praise your positive spirit and eternal beauty! Today you have become even more beautiful, for you are now at the joyous age of six!"

Smiling cheerfully, Silo gave everyone in the room a hug. He plopped down on the floor and looked over all of the presents. There were **a lot**, probably because Naruto and Sasuke had a lot of money. Lifting up a small pink one first, he read the card and thanked Hinata loudly with a voice as light as air.

Tearing it open, he stared down at a little crow plushie in amazement. It was a soft black bird with startling blue eyes, just like himself, its wings spread. He hugged the stuffed animal close to his chest and thanked Hinata once again, wanting to give her a kiss on the cheek, but the huge pile of presents kept him from doing so. There was nothing in the whole world that could tear a child away from a stack of gifts.

Opening gifts lasted about an hour, with Silo squealing and thanking everyone. He'd gotten a few yaoi mangas and a box of his favorite peppermint candies from Sai; three videogames from Kiba; a hand-sewn bunny pillow from Lee; a 72 pack of markers, two sketchpads, sidewalk chalk, and a bunch of really nice anime wallscrolls from Sakura; and a yearly pass to Tokyo Disney was from Ino (who couldn't be at the party).

Majik shoved Haruka to the side, taking advantage of the blind boy and holding out a big box to Silo. The little crow looked at Haruka in worry, but went to unwrapping the present once he sat up and punched Majik on the back of the head rather harshly.

Eyes lighting up, Silo lifted up the pretty pink dress carefully and looked at all of the beautiful designs on it. It was definitely an expensive article of clothing and Silo loved it. He didn't care whether or not it was a dress, he'd wear it.

"Th-thank you so much..." Silo whispered and gave Majik a strong hug, which made the Norwegian boy grin like a cat and toss a sparkling stare in Haruka's direction. He pouted though when he realized that his friend wouldn't be able to see it.

Everyone in the room took turns looking over the dress, all of them wondering how much it cost.

"Don't you guys care that it's a dress?" Kiba interrupted. "Silo's a boy, isn't he?" he was shushed by the other house guests who could care less what kind of clothes Silo wore. It was his life, his choice. That's how it'd always been since he was born.

Haruka lifted up his own present, a fairly small unwrapped brown box. Silo blinked down at it, Majik snickered, and everyone gasped as it was opened.

It was a silver key, reflecting Silo's bright blue eyes in its shiny coat.

"A... key?" the crow mumbled.

"Your present's outside," Haruka stood and his father helped him out of the living room, everyone following behind, inlcuding a huffing Majik. He should've know that getting the money from his dad and getting the shit beaten out of him wouldn't be worth it. No matter what, Haruka would get a better gift. Damn the rich!

Kakashi opened the front door with an amused twinkle in his black eye. There, in the parking lot, was a sleek electric scooter that had probably been moved there during the first half our of the gift-opening.

Silo let out a girly squeel and ran out into the parking lot, running his small hands over the handle bars and sleek intricate designs that ran down the full length of the scooter. A huge smile was on his childish face as he ran around it, inspecting every nook and cranny.

"Arigato, Haruka-kun!" he ran back into the home and jumped on his good friend, kissing him on the cheek and smiling against the soft skin. Haruka flushed lightly, a pretty pink color in contrast to his creamy skin, and hugged Silo back. At that moment, Sasuke black car pulled open and said raven pushed the front door open and stepped out, a pair of expensive blue sunglasses resting over his eyes.

Naruto scowled. "What took you so long, Teme?.! You missed him opening presents!"

Sasuke smirked and as Silo turned to greet him, he tossed a small periwinkle into the air and the crow snatched it before it fell, running his thumb over the rough purple bow that was on top of it. He popped the square top off and picked up the golden band that lay in the center of red tissue.

On the inside of it read: From Your Otosan.

"Uchiha-san..." Silo couldn't move, thinking that he'd hugged enough people in his emotional state that day, tears springing to his bright eyes.

Naruto became curious with what it said when his little boy looked like he was about to burst into tears at any given moment. Shuffling forward, he took the item in his grasp and read it, eyes almost bugging out of his head. He pointed at his friend with pouty lips and furrowed blond brows.

"When did we get married, Teme?.!" he screeched.

"What a perfect way to ruin a party," Sakura sighed and leaned back against the doorframe.

Sasuke smirked. "I just thought Silo would like another parental figure since his mother's never around. He even came to me and asked me to be his Otosan."

Naruto blinked and gazed down at his son. "...Why is **he** the otosan? He's definitely not more manly than me. **I** should be the otosan," he whined.

Sai felt jealousy at the fact that Naruto would so willingly accept the other raven as his "husband", but shook his head. The last thing he wanted was to be jealous, especially of a rich brat like the Uchiha.

Another hour passed and that time was spent with everyone putting together and setting up toys, a loud and very competitive video game tournament between everyone (excluding Hinata who was against violence), a very loud fight between Majik and Haruka about how the blind boy cheated and used his wealth to win.

"Well, you take advantage of my disability all of the time," Haruka stated with a drawl.

"I do not, you poop-head!" Majik screeched, leaping at the other and knocking him to the ground. He yelled obsceneties in German, but in a playful and mocking way, causing Haruka to frown and shove the smaller child off.

Sasuke lowered his sunglasses and set them on the kitchen counter, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall as he watched Silo defeat Naruto for the tenth time in twenty minutes. The blond finally gave up and swayed toward the kitchen with a pout on his lean face.

"I used to be so good at video games!" the younger man whined, plopping down onto the carpeted floor.

"Age does lessen a few motor skills," the raven replied simply.

"What's with you? You seem so... different today."

Sasuke looked down at his friend. "My brother won't pick up his phone. I tried searching for him and I even looked in the hospital, but both he and Hidan weren't there. Hidan's doctor said that they'd just disappeared."

Naruto's brows furrowed. "Disappeared?"

Then the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Sai came out of the main hall, from the bathroom. He glanced over at the two males together near the kitchen and held back a scowl. Pulling open the front door slowly, he peeked out and his eyes widened when he saw a large group of men in matching black and red cloaks. Itachi was in the very front, his hands tightly grasping the handles of a silver wheelchair, which Hidan was seated in, looking rather annoyed.

"How come we weren't invited?.!" Hidan growled, both angry and playful.

Itachi looked down at Sai with dark, simmering eyes. There was a hint of recognition in those black orbs.

"We need to speak with Naruto-kun," he drawled, voice crisp.

**Next chapter: Will Akatsuki get to tell Naruto Orochimaru's plans? A delicious sex scene, the movie's done being filmed, a NaruSasu photoshoot XD, and Sasuke realizes how to completely rid himself of Sanji-sensei's bothersome memory.**


	25. Screw the Script!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**It's been forever, I know, but for some reason, the last week of school is always the busiest. How is it that I get more work in the last four days than I do during the entire school year? But even though it's summer, I might not be able to update as much as you'd like me to. I basically have to babysit 24 hours a day. Yeah, pretty much sucks ass.**

**Not much happens in this chap except for the small scene between Itachi and Sasuke, and of course... the sex scene? Also, the photoshoot's pretty short, mainly because it was really late when I wrote this and I wanted to sleep.**

"Itachi--"

"How come ya didn't invite me to the party?.!" Hidan cut Sai off with an enraged scowl. "Ya ask my brother to come, but not me?.!" he slammed his fist down on the arm of his wheelchair, causing the metal item of transportation to creak and groan. His frown turning into a very upset pout, he shook his hand to get rid of the ache. "Aren't I your buddy, Kinpatsu?.!"

Behind him, next to Itachi, Kakuzu rolled his teal eyes, grumbling under his breath.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and laughed. "Sorry, but I thought that you wouldn't be able to come? You know, being stuck in the hospital and all--" he was shoved aside by a frowning Sasuke, the smaller raven clearly looking pissed off. His heated eyes met Itachi's and they stared for a few moments, the look being cut off by a blubbering Tobi.

The sweet and goofy man moved in front of Hidan, blocking Itachi from Sasuke's line of vision. "Sasuke-kun, I know you're mad at Itachi-san, but do not blame him!" he seemed frantic. "If you must blame someone, blame me!" he fell to his knees and gripped the young Uchiha's shirt with his tanned hands. "For I did not stop him!" he wailed.

Sasuke's anger disappeared and he settled for looking down at the man with perfectly raised eyebrows.

Deidara kicked his subordinate in the hip. "Get up, un! Akatsuki members don't gravel at the feet of someone inferior..." he stopped himself, glancing at Itachi's downturned lips. "Not that Sasuke-chan's inferior to us, un!"

Sasuke turned his attention to his brother. "There better be a good reason for what you did. Come inside we can talk about it."

"Hey! This is my house, you don't decide who comes in!" Naruto huffed, then grinned to all of the men at his door. "You can come in!" he raced off into the living room. "Just make yourselves at home! Silo, we have some more visitors, why don't you put on that new dress?"

Kisame (a man with fair skin, golden eyes, and black spikey hair) snorted and smiled a yakuza type of smile, creepy and powerful. "Silo's his son, right? What's the kid doing wearing dresses, eh?"

Sai frowned at him and decided to just go into the living and sit down with his friends. He didn't like these men, not at all. And he wanted to make sure they didn't do anything to Naruto, so he settled himself down beside Sakura, who looked up at the entering men with curious emerald eyes.

"Who're they?" she asked Sai, behind her hand.

"The Akatsuki, that's all I know."

Zetsu, the largest of all the men, stood against the far wall in the living room, his eyes closed. Deidara and the red-head, Sasori, stayed together by the sofa, intimidating Hinata a bit with their heavy stares. Kisame, Kakuzu, and Tobi placed themselves near the television; and Itachi wheeled Hidan over to the couch.

A happy Silo ran down the steps quickly in his pink dress, looking a lot like a girl with his cheery smile. Majik and Haruka followed behind him, Majik catching the sight of his older brother in the living room. His eyes got as big as saucers and he shovd Haruka to the side, making the older boy growl and curse.

"Niisan! Did they let ya outta the hospital?" he poked at Hidan's broken arm and the man winced, but kept on a huge, toothy grin.

"Yep! And you know what? Weasal-san and I were talkin' on the way here, and we think it'd be best if you stayed with us for a while. We'll buy a big home close to here so you can play with Silo and it'll keep you away from Dad. Well... he's goin' to jail anyway," he mumbled. He'd found out about his father's recent beating on Majik and that had been the last straw for him. He was going to be a better brother and get Majik away from there. Not that having him live with two drug dealers was any better.

"We're gonna be a family?" Majik made a strange face, his lips puckered. "Is Mr. Weasal gonna be your... bitch?"

Itachi narrowed his eyes while everyone else laughed. "Language, Majik. You're going to be living under my roof soon, so learn to talk proper."

Naruto came out of the kitchen seconds later, carrying a tray of party snacks and fruit juice pouches. He ignored the little glaring match between Majik and Itachi and dropped the tray onto the coffee table with a grin. "Ok, so what'd you guys want to talk to me about? You all looked so serious out there, so I hope it's nothing bad...?"

All members of the Akatsuki looked to Itachi, who lifted his gaze from the little Norwegian boy. "I'll speak with you once I clear the subject with my otouto. Tobi, give Silo my gift," he then nodded to everyone and beckoned for his brother to follow him. He wandered into the sunroom and as soon as Sasuke entered, he slid the thick wooden door shut, pressing down on the lock.

"Aniki, what's wrong? Why did you take Hidan out of the hospital? What do you need to speak to Naruto about?" Sasuke rushed Itachi with his questions, his more childish side showing up. He'd always had a problem with being left in the dark.

Itachi chuckled and laid his palm on Sasuke's head, the sensation of soft hair tickling his calloused fingers. "I took Hidan out of the hospital because of the threat of Orochimaru. You remember him, correct?"

Sasuke nodded, brows furrowed. _He's his rival in the filming business, right?_

"Forgive me for what I'm about to say, because I know how much you loathe me keeping secrets," his smile was small and delicate. "But Orochimaru is not only a fellow filmmaker and company owner, but also, and I'll put this bluntly, a drug dealer; the leader of a group called Oto(1)."

The younger of the two let his eyes widened in shock.

His mind was whirling, trying to absorb everything his brother was telling him. He was able to comprehend a few things; his brother and Hidan being in the drug business and the reason why, who Orochimaru was, and the very last thing.

"He's after Naruto?" his throat seemed dry.

Itachi nodded and zipped down his cloak a bit to get rid of the heat the sunroom built up. He knew the feelings his little brother had built up inside of him for the handsome blond, and he definitely knew the anger Sasuke would feel toward him for not telling him Naruto he was in danger.

"Why didn't you tell me any of this before?" Sasuke snarled. "You'd been in this business since I was eight, Aniki, why did you wait until now?"

"Because no one was in any danger before now. Naruto-kun will be killed if we don't watch our steps and keep a close eye on Orochimaru. I know how much he means to you, Otouto, and if there was one thing that I could not bear to see, it would be your tears. I couldn't stand it when you cried over that Sanji man, I'm not going to have you lose someone else."

Sasuke resisted the urge to blush and frowned. "I wouldn't cry if I lost that idiot."

Itachi smiled knowingly. "Denial is an Uchiha trait, I've realized lately. Otouto, you can either deny your feelings and have him die, or you can admit you're in love with him and protect him. Orochimaru is not one to take lightly. He will definitely go through with his plans to get rid of Naruto-kun. "

Nodding, Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his raven locks. "It should be easy once you tell him, right?"

Itachi chuckled and shook his head. "Whether I tell him or not, he'll be in danger. Myself and the others will do our best to watch over Orochimaru's group and will tell you if anything suspicious is happening. I'm giving you the job of protecting him. Do you think you can do that? If Orochimaru kills Naruto-kun, then I'll be left vulnerable."

Sasuke let his lips twitch downward. "How so?"

Smiling faintly, the weasal went to the door and unlocked it, sliding it open. He turned toward his brother.

"If that point in time comes, you'll see for yourself."

xXxXx

Naruto was conversing with some of the Akatsuki members when Itachi and Sasuke emerged from the sunroom. Silo was giggling and commenting on the stories Majik and Hidan told of their childish adventures together in the past, while Haruka listened intently; and the others were enjoying the various conversations around the room. Even Sai admitted to somewhat liking a few of the Akatsuki members. He'd found out that even though Kakuzu looked like a cold-hearted person, he had a passion for sewing.

"Mind sewing me a red thong?" he joked.

Kakuzu stared at him, not blinking. "For 20,000 yen."

"Weasal-san, what took you so long?" Hidan chirped when Itachi and Sasuke approached the couch and sat down. Itachi looked content with himself, while Sasuke frowned at nothing in particular, probably contemplating the best way of how to go about protecting the stupid blond known as Uzumaki Naruto.

"I needed to explain things as clearly and bluntly as possible. It wouldn't be so wise to confuse him, yes?" he used his usual sophisticated tone. The only people he talked normally with were Hidan and his brother.

Tobi yelped when his cellphone went off at his side. Deidara groaned once he realized that the only person who would call them at this time would be their leader. Flipping open the device, Tobi answered with a delightful tone.

"Moshi Moshi? Tobi speaking!" he chirped. "Ah, Leader-sama! Yes, Itachi-san is here, would you like to speak with him? Hai!" he then passed the phone to the raven-haired vice-leader of their group with a smile underneath his thick, orange mask. "For you, Itachi-sama!"

Itachi placed the phone to his hear and began talking to the man on the other line with a voice of indifference, yet power.

"At a birthday party," he replied to an unheard question. "I suppose we could. I'll visit you this evening... Hai, Leader-sama," he then hung up, raising his brows. "It seems that we're needed in Harajuku. We have 'clients'."

Deidara snickered. "After we came all this way to talk to foxy? We didn't even get a chance to speak to him, un."

"We'll inform him another time," Itachi stood. "As long as my otouto knows, that's all that matters right now," gripping the handlebars of Hidan's wheelchair, he turned the silver-haired male around, away from his younger brother and the blinking Silo.

"Hey, I wanna finish talkin' with Majik!" Hidan complained loudly.

"We're going to Harajuku. You will see him once we set up our house," Itachi pushed his cursing friend toward the front door and everyone slowly waved, confused with the sudden leave.

"Bye, Uchiha-san! Thank you for the gift!" Silo waved as the Akatsuki members left, groaning about too much work and little rest. Tobi was the only one to turn and wave back to the little boy, happiness in every single one of his bouncy steps.

Sasuke sighed. _He didn't get to talk to Naruto. But like he said, as long as I know, he'll be just fine. I'm sure I can protect the imbecile_, he smiled to himself, only a tad bit worried.

"Th-they seemed like nice people," Hinata commented with a pretty smile. "S-strange, but nice."

"That Sasori guy was hot," Sakura exclaimed, then added, "but not as hot as you, Sasuke-kun!" add cartoonish floaty hearts here.

Naruto lifted up the box that held Itachi's present and shook it, not caring if it was glass or not. "You gonna open it, musuko?"

Silo nodded cheerfully and snatched the box away, tearing open the paper and blinking down at the cute little moogle hat. He squealed for the twentieth time that day and put the item on, the fluffy, red ball bouncing around. He giggled and played with it.

Both Naruto and Sasuke stared at the cute hat with strange expressions.

I mean, you'd probably make the same face if you had a mental picture of Uchiha Itachi (his usual dark self) in the mall buying a child's hat.

xXxXx

Two days had passed since the party and Naruto and Sasuke were now back to filming. It was the last scene and then the entire movie would be finished! All of the action was done with, the serious scenes, the humor... so there was only one thing left.

The sex scene.

"A-ah...! S-Sanji-sensei..." a husky voice gasped. There was a creak, then two heated groans.

The lights on the set were out except for the dim lamp by the bed Naruto and Sasuke were on. The only thing visible was their body outlines, fluid movements being caught on camera, breathes warming the chilly air. Sasuke flushed in the darkness, glad that even the camera wouldn't be able to see the blush on his cheeks.

Naruto inhaled deeply and made a thrusting movement, his hips grinding against Sasuke's tailbone. While the blond had no problem pretending to preform sexual acts with his good friend, Sasuke was completely embarrassed and scared that his feelings would be revealed. But he wouldn't stop the scene, all because of his damn pride.

"I love you," Naruto whispered heatedly into the raven's ear and Sasuke swore he felt the tip of a tongue against the shell of his ear. There was a particularly sharp thrust against his ass and he moaned throatily, not able to hold back his desire.

_Screw the script! _

Sasuke turned his head to the side and looked up at the handsome man with lustful eyes. He moved onto his side and Naruto followed his movement on instinct, lifting up the raven's leg and pretending to push himself into the other. Sasuke rested the hand that wasn't propping himself up on Naruto's cheek, pressing warm fingers into a perfect jaw.

Pulling the blond down, he pressed his lips against his and moaned at the warmth and softness. He'd dreamed of those lips ever since his nightly kiss, which seemed like such a long time ago. He thrust back against that hard erection and wished it was him who'd caused it. Unfortunately, he knew it was from looking at playboy magazines a few minutes before shooting.

Naruto didn't think too much on how Sasuke changed the script, just knew that the words written by his name said that he had to pretend to make love to his lover. And hell, when Uzumaki Naruto had sex, he blew his partner's mind, fake or not. So he went along with the raven and kissed back, his teeth nipping at a soft bottom lip and his tongue running along the top of the other actor's mouth.

Sasuke yanked away from the kiss and moaned, too absorbed in the feeling of those hips pressing against him and that erection grinding so close to where he wanted it to be. He focused on the sensation and his eyes shot open when his crush's hard-on pressed a spot that sent pleasure rippling through his body.

He felt guilty, but he knew he'd never get to feel it again, so he arched his back and whined almost every time Naruto hit that spot just below his entrance. He inwardly thanked his brother for making them wearing nothing but their boxers.

Before he knew what happened, there was a strong thrust, and the raven saw stars, cum staining the inside of his shorts. He let out a loud sound that was a mix between a whimper, whine, and scream as he rode out the intense orgasm.

As moments passed by and he laid there panting, the lights flickered on. Realizing what'd happened, he covered up his blush and thanked the lord his boxers were black. Many of the other actors clapped and whistled, commenting on the steamy scene, while Naruto sat up and bent over Sasuke, grinning down at him.

"For a guy, you sound fucking hot in bed. I might have to re-think having sex with you sometime."

Sasuke stared at him, surprised. "You... thought about having sex with me before?"

"Nah, I was just teasing you, Teme," the blond laughed heartily and climbed off of the bed, then whistled. "But damn was your acting good. It sounded like you were actually having an orgasm."

The raven hung his head, hiding his pink cheeks behind black bangs. At that moment, he could care less about how much of a girl he was being, but anyone would react the same way in his situation.

"That was lovely," Kakashi commented with an upturned eye. Like the pervert he was, he was probably going to keep a copy of the tape for himself. Poor Iruka had such a horrible lover. "You're so vocal, Sasuke."

"Shut up!" the Uchiha hissed, standing up and heading over to the snack table for a bottle of water. He completely missed the smirk on his brother's face and the grin on Hidan's. Sai, Sakura, Kiba, Lee, and Hinata went onto the set, praising the blond for his good acting. Though, they didn't have much to compare his work to, since they'd never seen a sex scene before (except for Sai, of course). Hinata just shyly said her congradulations on the completion of his film instead of the scene, for the fear of collapsing from major stuttering.

"Now for the photoshoot!" Hidan piped up, wincing afterwards when his healing ribs throbbed painfully in his chest.

"Don't strain yourself," Itachi told him and slid from his director's chair, grabbing onto the handles of the wheelchair.

Sakura blinked her brilliant green eyes, brushing a strand of pink hair behind her pierced ear. "There's a photoshoot?"

Getting up and stretching, Naruto glanced down at the problem in his pants, trying to think of something gross to get rid of it. Strangely, all he could see in his mind was Sasuke moaning and panting. Shaking his head to get rid of the odd images, he answered.

"Yeah, we're taking pictures to put in magazines and on the movie posters. You know, usual movie stuff."

"Ah, show the people your youth through photography, Naruto-san!" Lee pumped his fist in the air.

As they began their way to the other side of the huge building, through twisting corridors, Sai glanced down at Naruto's erection that had refused to go away. He frowned, hoping that it wasn't still there because of Sasuke (who was walking right in front of them, a cup of water in his grasp).

"Quit staring at it, Sai!" Naruto whined. "Hurry, tell me something really gross."

"I want you to fuck me?"

"... No! Something gross!"

Sai chuckled and said, "Jiraiya-san and--" he didn't need to even finish his sentence before Naruto shivered and cut him off, his problem already limp between his legs. "That was fast."

As they entered a huge room, they saw white everywhere; even the photographers wore white, their cameras the only bit of color. They spoke to each other in Mandarin and waved their hands to call both Naruto and Sasuke over. The two men were still only in their boxers, clothes being shoved in their bare arms.

Sasuke refused to meet Naruto's eyes, but was forced to when they were shoved behind the same changing screen together. Coughing into his hand, he tried to start a conversation, knowing that he was stupid and the only one of the two completely embarrassed.

"You didn't have to thrust so hard."

_Fuck, I'm an idiot._

Naruto glanced up from buttoning up his pants to grin. "You weren't complaining when I was thrusting against your wanton ass and you were moaning, Teme," he laughed and slipped on the bright orange cargo jacket. He was glad that they had clothes that sort of defined who he was. A goof.

Sasuke almost choked on his spit.

"Ya done?.!" Hidan yelled. "We don't have all day, ya know! Weasal-san and I have a dream home to decorate!" he snickered.

"We're coming," Naruto ruffled his already messy hair and flashed Sasuke the smile he knew drove women and men crazy. "I bet I'll outshine you in the photos."

All embarrassment was gone from the raven, replaced by the desire to prove the foxy bastard wrong.

xXxXx

An hour went by and after various compromising positions and whispered threats of castration, the photos were finished with. The most suggestive one of them all was going to be put on the front cover of three different magazines, while the others were going to be put inside.

One picture, though, was the new poster for the movie. It was of Naruto in a teacher's suit and Sasuke in a student's uniform, the both of them embracing in the rain. It was a gorgeous picture that both of the actors actually loved.

"Commercials will be airing tomorrow at nine during the Nippon Music Awards. That should catch us even more attention than we aleady have," Itachi said as he shook the hands of each photographer, thanking them for a job well done.

"I can't wait to tell Silo. We'll watch it together tomorrow night," Naruto said with a huge grin.

"Hey! What about us!" Kiba growled.

"Of course, you guys can watch it with us, just stay in the background," the blond teased, earning him some sarcastic laughter and a right hook to the back of the head, courtesy of Sakura. "I-Itai..."

"Hidan, Otouto, and I are going to leave now. Remember to tell Kakashi to lock up once the rest of you are about to leave. Have a nice evening," the weasal nodded his head to them andpushed Hidan's wheelchair through the large door, the violet-eyed male humming a song that was definitely out of tune.

Following after his brother, Sasuke turned and gave one last glance at Naruto, watching as he laughed with his friends.

Despite the events that happened that day, the only thing he could think about at the moment was what Itachi had said two days earlier.

xXxXx flashback xXxXx

_"Otouto, you can either deny your feelings and have him die, or you can admit you're in love with him and protect him." _

xXxXx end flashback xXxXx

Sasuke exited the building and the warm air attacked his cool skin.

_I already admitted to being in love with him, so I suppose the only thing I can do is protect him, right?_

He smiled to himself.

**(1)- In later chapters, Sasuke will have his own group within the Akatsuki; Hebi, just like in the manga. It'll consist of, of course, Suigetsu, Karin, and Juugo. I know they're in the flashback with Sanji-sensei, but they're gonna appear again.**

**Um, if you review, I'll update faster? XD**


	26. Moving On

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**IMPORTANT: If everyone who reads this chap leaves a review, be it just to say hi, I swear to god I'll give you another JLH update tomorrow or the next day. And BELIEVE ME, the next chapter will throw you for a loop XD If there's over 100, who knows... there might be a love confession? Haha, I like to bribe XD**

**So. Much. Stress. :Cries: I had to give up writing Plastic Cafe for a while so I could finish this and KWSC up... but I feel so bad! **

**But... at least I'm making you guys happy, right?**

Sasuke rolled over in his bed and opened his eyes, the heat of his room finally getting to him. Sitting up, he stripped himself of his black t-shirt and climbed out of bed, trudging to the hallway where the air conditioning dial was. As he walked through the shadows, he felt as if someone was watching him, the hair on the back of his neck standing up.

He didn't believe in ghosts or spirits, so he brushed the feeling off like it was nothing and proceded to turn the air on. He scratched his shoulder and turned to go back into his room, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Sanji-sensei standing in the doorway, his outline illuminated by the aquarium in Sasuke's bedroom.

The raven stepped back and slowly blinked his eyes, knowing that the man really wasn't there. He used to have hallucinations of him all the time and this time wasn't any different. He schooled his face into a blank expression, hoping that his delusion would just take a hint and leave. He wanted to forget his old lover, let him know that he'd moved on, that he no longer cared.

_But have I moved on?_

"Otouto?"

Sasuke glanced away from his illusion to see Itachi standing in his own bedroom doorway in a pair of long black, silky boxers. The weasal pushed himself forward when he saw the tired and frustrated look in his younger brother's eyes. He saw that expression many times before.

Sasuke looked back at his doorway and Sanji-sensei was gone, the only thing there being the reflection of himself in the mirror across the room.

xXxXx

Itachi lowered a plate of pancakes in front of his brother, smiling down at him like he so rarely did. Every time Sasuke was upset or confused, Itachi would make a batch of pancakes; it was a tradition of theirs, you could say. Sitting in the chair beside Sasuke, he watched as the younger male wolfed down the food.

Not many saw beyond Sasuke's sophisticated demeanor; saw how human he really was.

"You saw him in your room again, yes?" he sat his chin atop his laced fingers.

Sasuke stopped his eating long enough to nod his head and swallow. "I... I'm in love with Naruto, so why do I still see Sanji-sensei? It's not guilt, so--"

"There's one last thing you must do before you can completely move on," Itachi replied quickly, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Think about what else needs to be done."

Sasuke furrowed his brows and finished up his meal. "Needs to be done? But..." his eyes widened suddenly and the memory of Sanji-sensei's wife driving in a different direction that day came to his mind. He clutched his fork and stared at his reflection on Itachi's glazed coffee mug. "His wife..."

Itachi leaned back in his chair. "She's still alive. I think you should see her and clear things up. Maybe you should even take Naruto-kun? To embrace such a problem with him would be a huge step in your recovery."

Sasuke let a smirk slip onto his face. "So you're a psychologist now, Aniki?"

"An older brother must always be prepared for any situation," the weasal mused.

"Weasal-saaaaann!" Hidan called from the depths of Itachi's bedroom. "Where'd ya go?.!"

Itachi sighed.

xXxXx

"You want me to what?" Naruto cried in disbelief, mouth agape. He'd been asked to do a lot of things during his life, but being invited to go along with his friend to visit a dead man's wife was sort of different from most favors asked of him. He almost choked on the rice he was eating.

"I want you to accompany me to Sanji-san's home today. I need to speak to her about Sanji-sensei's death. She has a right to know who I am," the raven said as he picked at his own bowl of rice. He wasn't too hungry since he's just had a pile of fattening pancakes five hours earlier. "It's alright if you don't want to go, Dobe."

Naruto snapped his mouth shut, looked up in thought, then began speaking. "I'm just suprised that you're asking **me**, of all people. Why not Itachi? Or even Kakashi? You've known them longer."

"If you don't want to go, then--"

"No, no, I wanna go!" Naruto sat his bowl of rice down. "So... today?"

Sasuke nodded and placed his own bowl on the table next to the blond's. "The premeire's tomorrow, so I need to do this today."

Naruto laughed. "Who puts up posters and starts commercials the day before a movie comes out?"

Sasuke let a smile cross his lips when he heard the beautiful sound. Oh, he had it bad. "Apparently my aniki. Now, come on, it's a two hour drive to her home and I have to be back before dinner."

"WHAT? We're leaving now?" The blond groaned. "But I have to pick Silo up from school today!"

"I'll call Kakashi and tell him to do it for you. Now, come on."

"You sure are pushy today," Naruto grumbled and let himself be taken out of the building. He didn't even know why he was going along, he had more important things to do.

xXxXx

Well, for someone who hadn't wanted to go, Naruto sure was having a fun time. He'd taken the liberty to drive, meaning he got to control Sasuke's kick ass red Lotus car and grin to all the drivers they passed, acting as if the automobile was his. The raven found it amusing and just let the idiot make a fool out of himself, admitting to himself that he was actually very fond of the blond's stupidity.

"Let's listen to some music, huh? There's going to be a lot of drama once we get there, so why not have some fun beforehand! Dattebayo!" Naruto yanked his ipod out of his side pocket (he'd bought it the other day), and hooked it up to the radio with a special cord he had in his other pocket. Sasuke stared, surprised that Naruto kept that thing with him.

"Don't put on anything vulgar," Sasuke snorted, crossing his arms and closing his eyes as the air conditioning washed over his warm face.

"Oooh, this was my favorite song a few months back!" Naruto swired his finger around the sensitive pad of his device and pushed play, grinning like a moron as a little beat started. He twisted the volume knob and blasted the base, apparently wanting to give Sasuke a heart attack before he could reach Sanji-san's home.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and unconsciously clutched his chest, having always hated the Japanese gangstas who would drive by him in the evenings, blaring their overbearingly loud American rap music. The loud bass always made it feel like his heart was going to explode.

Naruto rolled down the windows, bothering the raven even more.

"I've been denied all the best ultrasex!" the blond crooned loudly.

The young Uchiha glared out of his window, wiping at his dry eyes and watching passing cars.

"How can ya'll bring a muthafucka somethin' so good he couldn't say no? You nailed me hard. I love 'em when they don't give a motherfuckin' shit!" Naruto sang further, his words as fast as the singers, making them a bit blurred and not audible to Sasuke. The raven did hear, though, the "you nailed me hard" part and glanced over at his friend.

"Dig me now and fuck me later! And sing it to the tune of faggot! Faggot! Faggot!(1)"

Sasuke bent forward and snatched the ipod away from Naruto, deciding to search through and find a more decent song to play. Naruto pouted like a child when his song was turned off and he whined like a kicked puppy.

"Why'd you turn it off? I liked that song, Teme!"

"It was vulgar and I found it very offensive. You should know better than to play a song about faggots when you're with on, Dobe."

Naruto laughed heartily. "Aww, come on, Sasuke! You're not seriosuly saying that bothered you, right? Plus, you're not a faggot in my eyes, you're a good friend who acts very straight but likes cock!"

Sasuke scowled. "Thanks," he picked a song and when the music started, Naruto actually blinked and smiled.

"Wow, I didn't peg you as the romantic type. You know... this is the song I promised myself I'd play for my someone special," he grinned. "After Sunako left, I just sort of... didn't want to date anymore. But I let myself see a few people, wanting to find Silo a good mom," the opening music still played. "I might act like a flirt, but I only do it so Silo can still recognize me. He knew me as the flirt, and I want to stay that way so he knows I'll never change," his smile was small, but brilliant. "But now's not the time to talk about this stuff!"

Sasuke was actually speechless. _So he's not really a flirt... _

"You're waiting for that special someone," the raven smirked. "How sweet of you, Dobe."

Naruto laughed. "Yeah, I'm stupid, aren't I? You said it yourself once, that no one could like me, right?"

"..." Sasuke frowned, hating himself more than ever at that moment for ever telling the blond that those many months ago. "I was only joking."

Naruto ignored him and began singing along with the song as the vocals started in., his eyes a bit distant. Sasuke felt as thought that maybe, just maybe, his words had affected the male. It made him feel guilty, but it also made his chest clench, as he realized his words had made such an impact.

xXxXx

During the rest of the two hour drive, they both had talked about things and Sasuke finally convinced Naruto to believe him when he said he was only joking all that time ago, that he was just jealous of his good looks, etc. Of course, he was lying, but it was better to have a blond with in inflated ego than a blond who seemed distant and depressed.

After clearing everything up, they'd enjoyed the rest of the ride in silence, Naruto occasionally starting up a song and forcing Sasuke to sing along, too. They'd sang a Justin Timberlake song, much to Sasuke's displeasure, a few kid songs that Naruto said Silo used to sing to him when he was a toddler, and even the Teen Titan's theme. Naruto was amazed that Sasuke knew it.

Then they'd reached the gated community that Sanji-sensei's wife lived in and all happiness and joy was sucked out of the car like a twister sucking people out from under a bridge (2). Pulling up to the guard's booth, Naruto popped his head out of the window and gave him a cocky smile.

"Yo!" he greeted the chubby man.

Said man only grunted and scooted closer to the glass on his rolling chair. "ID please."

Naruto handed him his driver's license. "We're here visiting a friend. Um..."

"Sanji Nanao-san," Sasuke helped, leaning forward in his seat and unbuckling his belt.

The officer nodded and opened the gate.

Sitting back in his seat and rolling up the windows, Naruto drove off into the community, looking at the street signs. "What street was it again? I think it started with in 'H' or something..." he slowed the vehicle down.

"Hyakumangoku," Sasuke supplied, pointing to the next street on the left. "Her home is the third on the right," they pulled into the driveway, a small black car already parked in the open garage.

"What're you going to say to her?" Naruto asked, the both of them climbing out of the car and walking up the cobblestone pathway. He shoved his hands in his pockets, surprised that despite it being summer, it was quite chilly out. He yanked his hood over his head, which covered most of his face, and rung the doorbell, a soft "one moment" coming from inside.

Sasuke held his breath for a moment, afraid that he would see an old bitter woman worn down and aged by her depression over the loss of her husband. That was something he wouldn't be able to stand, but what greeted them as the door opened was so completely different from his thoughts.

A young-looking woman with long, soft brown hair in a messy, but stylish, ponytail blinked at them, her chocolate eyes warm and welcoming. She had on a white summer dress and had no shoes on, a light blue anklet around her thin ankle, just above what Naruto thought to be a birthmark.

_Huh, it's sort of shaped like a vacuum cleaner..._

"How may I help you?" her voice was like a melody drifting through the wind. Sasuke thought that there could ever be such a... perfect person. He somewhat hoped her personality wasn't as lovely, or he'd feel even more terrible for making the beautiful woman a widow.

"I need to speak to you about your... late husband," Sasuke's voice dropped an octave against his will and he cleared his throat.

The woman, Nanao, stiffened and averted her eyes, wringing her hands together. "Yuichirou-kun...? Alright, please come in and take a seat in the dining room. I'll get us some tea..." an aura of sadness suddenly appeared around her as she left the door open for them to come in.

Both men walked inside and Naruto closed the door behind him, his sense being attacked by the smell of gingerbread and chocolate. They made there way to the dining room (which was visable from the door) and sat down, the blond glancing arond at all of the paintings. He pulled down his hood and messed his hair around a bit to keep it from looking flat.

Nanao came in a few moments later, carrying a tray of snacks and tea. But she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Naruto for the first time without his hood on. "Yuichirou-kun..." she blinked softly and flushed in embarrassment at the mistake. "A-ah, gomen. I thought you were my husband for a second... you two look very similar... blond hair and blue eyes," she smiled sweetly and sat the tray down in front of them, taking her own seat beside them

Sasuke definitely understood what she meant.

"So what is it that you need to speak to me about?" her voice was just barely above a whisper.

The raven coughed into his hand and was surprised to find his mind at a blank. He'd always known how to go about things, but this one moment was shattering that little fact. He thought on it for a few seconds, then started speaking, trying to say his words as soft as possible, so as not to startle the gorgeous woman.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke and... well, I saw your husband die in that car accident," he watched her expression change from curious to confused. "I was chasing after his car and... I suppose you could say his death was my fault," his smile was strained and sad. "If I hadn't have went after him down that road, then he wouldn't have run the red light..."

Nanao dropped her frail hands to her lap and just stared at Sasuke as if she was telling him he'd just murdered her entire family. "Uchiha Sasuke, was it? Then you must be... that boy Yuichirou-kun was having an affair with, yes?"

Naruto watched the conversation go on, knowing he had no right to add his two cents.

Sasuke cringed. "I knew that you had found out back then..."

Nanao let out a breath of laughter. "My husband was quite the messy one, never organizing anything... I suppose that was his downfall. I found a letter written to him in his document folder that had fallen from his desk... I never wanted to read it because I believed in him having his own personal things, but there was one line on there that said... I love you."

Sasuke looked away, remembering the time he'd written that letter.

"I thought that maybe it was a note from another silly fangirl, but... it wasn't a female's handwriting. So I took a look at it... and that's when I realized Yuichirou-kun was cheating on me with one of his male students," her eyes were moist, but she was nowhere near the verge of tears. Years of sadness must have dried them. "But Uchiha-kun, know that I don't resent you at all!" her voice suddenly became loud, yet still kind. "Our marriage was already breaking apart... and I somewhat thank you for making him happy."

"You're... thanking me?" Sasuke was amazed.

Nanao nodded and smiled a bit. "We were going to have a divorce, but at the last moment, he said he wanted to move away with me. Maybe he felt guilty for doing such a thing, but... then that was the day he died. Uchiha-kun, I've never been angry with you and I never will. You can't help who you fall in love with, even if it's a married man."

"...You're so kind!" Naruto's eyes were watery and he wiped at them with the back of sleeve. "How could that jerk notlove you?.! You're so sweet, pretty, and understanding!"

Nanao laughed and poured them each a cup of tea and gave them a light peach plate with a gingerbread man on them. "Thank you for the compliment, ahh..."

"Uzumaki Naruto!" the blond grinned.

"Then thank you for the compliment, Uzumaki-kun. Here, I made these for my children, but they're still outside playing with their friends, so eat them quickly. Then they'll never know I took them," she smiled.

Sasuke felt relief flood him. He hadn't expected her to understand... he hadn't even expected hearing of Sanji-sensei not loving his wife.

"Do you not like sweets, Uchiha-kun?" the woman asked curiosuly, nibbling on her own cookie with her pearly white teeth. "I could bring you something else, if you'd like...?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine," he began eating the cookie, now feeling like he could move on with his life for good.

xXxXx

On the way back, Naruto and Sasuke were a bit more cheerful than on the way to Nanao's house, listening and singing along to music (mostly Naruto), dancing around like morons (mostly Naruto), and acting out stupid dramas (mostly Naruto). Ok, so Sasuke wasn't going much of anything except listening, but he was in a pleasant mood.

"You know what I just realized?" the blond asked.

Sasuke glanced over at him. "What?"

"I've been hungry since we left this morning, but I completely forgot."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and chuckled. "How do you forget something like that, Dobe?"

Naruto went down the exit that led to his house (Sasuke was going to stay the night) and decided that instead of driving another forty minutes to get there, he'd drop by a cafe and get a bite to eat. Silo had begged him to get him a vanilla latte for the past two days, anyway. Driving into the small parking lot, they both exited the vehicle and went inside, both startled by what they saw.

"Hey! It's you!"

Gaara turned his head to the side, pulling the cigarette from his peach lips. His face remained impassive as he crushed the cancer stick out in a flower shaped ash tray and took a sip from his sake.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked the red-head.

"Eh? You know him?" Naruto blinked.

"He's a friend of mine," Sasuke replied.

"EH?.? You have friends?.!"

The raven glared at him and the blond just laughed and waved his hands around. "I was joking. But Gaara, do you mind if we sit with you? It looks pretty packed in here. I guess it's always like these during sumo tournaments. It's like football games back in the U.S."

Gaara nodded and took another swig of his sake. "Sure, I don't mind."

"Good! I'll go order our food, Teme. Same as usual?"

Sasuke nodded and took a seat next to Gaara, leaning forward and crossing his arms over the purple tablecloth. "I'm sure it isn't a coincidence we've met you here."

Gaara stared blankly at the Uchiha and took a bite of his sushi.

"Oto is now on the move."

**(1) Faggot by Mindless Self Indulgence. XD**

**(2) Hah, people say it's safe to go under a bridge when there's tornado. Pft, that only makes it worse. Being under the bridge makes it like a vacuum for the twister. Stupid white people and their theories XD**

**Next Chapter: The premeire, Orochimaru moves, and a life might be lost. DUN DUN DUN!**


	27. Alterna

**Disclaimer: I don't effin' own Naruto.**

**Man, like, 123 reviews last time I checked O.o**

**Thank you all for the lovely reviews! SO MANY:Dies of joy: and for those of you who don't know, this story's not even close to being finished with. This is only the first arc. On chap 30, there's gonna be a nine year timeskip and we'll start the Silo's mother and Akatsuki arc! Yay!**

**Let's have a poll, shall we? (I love findin' excuses to get lots of reviews, but I should get 'em anyway cuz you all love me, ne?**

**Who's your favorite character in my story? You can give me a reason why, too, if you'd like.**

**a) Naruto**

**b) Sasuke**

**c) Itachi**

**d) Silo**

**e) Haruka**

**f) Majik**

**g) Sai**

**h) Hidan**

**i) other... please enlighten me?**

Sasuke frowned and glanced over at Naruto, who was conversing with one of the waitresses by the ordering counter. He could tell by the jerky movements and proud smile that he was babbling on about Silo, when he should've been getting their small meals. Eyes being drawn to something flashing under the flourescent table lamp, he looked over to see Gaara pulling out a metallic lighter and a cigarette.

"Oto, that's Orochimaru's group, right?" he asked hesitently, not wanting to overhear.

Gaara nodded his head, just a slight bob of the head, his messy red bangs brushing over the tips of his ears. He lit the new cigarette and placed it between his lips, gray smoke floating up to the roof and dissolving into the air. He tucked his lighter away in the pocket of his brown trenchcoat and bit down on the cancer stick.

"Yes. Itachi-san called me not too long ago, telling me that members of Oto have been spotted sneaking around Tokyo, in search of someone. I would say that that someone is Naruto," he pulled the cigarette from his lips and breathed out the thick smoke. "It would be best to be on your guard tonight."

Sasuke remained collected, even when anger boiled inside of him. "I'll keep him safe, don't worry."

"I'm not worried," Gaara's voice was dull. For the next five minutes, he kept the conversation on the topic at hand and shared tips with Sasuke on how to avoid places such as alley ways and empty parking lots. He also slipped a gun into Sasuke's lap, telling him to keep it in case of emergencies.

Naruto suddenly bounced over to the table, handing Sasuke his food with a huge grin. "Hey, look!" he held up a vanilla latte. "I flirted with one of the waitresses and she gave me this free latte! Cool, yeah?" he laughed.

But Sasuke didn't laugh along with him, his eyes transfixed on the weapon just under the table.

xXxXx

Kakashi walked down the stairs, Iruka right behind him, whispering something about getting Haruka a seeing eye dog. The brunette's hair was down, the thick locks tucked behind his ears as he straightened his light coat. Naruto and Sasuke had returned and both Silo and Majik were asleep in the crow's room.

"Thanks again for picking them up and babysitting. Sai and the others are out sightseeing around this part of the city, so they weren't able to. We all grew up in the country, you know?" Naruto shrugged off his coat and hung it up on the silver coat racket by the front door. He kicked off his shoes. "And I promise that this was just a one time thing."

Iruka smiled handsomely. "It was no problem at all. I just wish Haruka could've played with them today. He's been busy with a school project and he's staying after school to receive help from a teacher."

"Well, Haruka can come over anytime," Naruto told the couple and stretched. "Do you two want to stay for a snack before you leave?"

Kakashi shook his head. "We have to go pick up Haruka from school. It's late and we're lucky that his teacher's even keeping him there this long," he leaned forward and peaked out into the living room where Sasuke was straightening the couch cushions, as if it were his house, too. The scarecrow smiled at that, much like a father to his son. "I won't be able to make it to the premeire tomorrow, so I hope you and Naruto-kun enjoy yourselves."

"Good-bye," Iruka nodded his head and hit Kakashi on the back of the head when he groped his ass on the way out.

Naruto grinned and shut the door behind them, yawning loudly and tugging off his shirt and pants, leaving himself in only black and white striped boxers (he's stolen them from Sai years ago). "Teme, are you sleeping on the couch again? You do know we have another guest room, right?" he walked by the settled raven and turned the television off, just like how he knew Sasuke liked it.

"I know, but your friends are staying there. I don't want to walk in and find something strange hidden away," Sasuke smirked and yanked the blanket off of the back of the couch, covering himself with it. "Such as a sex toy or stained pictures of you."

Naruto pouted. "Hey! Sai threw those out, I'll have you know!" then he cracked a grin and began laughing, plopping down beside his friend and sprawling out over him, much to Sasuke's embarrassment. "Hey, Sasuke?"

Sasuke cleared his throat, focusing his eyes on the dark ceiling above him, the blades of the ceiling fan visable in the corner of his eyes. "Hm?"

"Thanks for being my friend."

The raven narrowed his eyes a bit in the darkness, suspicious.

Naruto let out a breath of laughter. "I mean, thanks for being there for me and Silo, thanks for giving us a chance at life, thanks for just... being the bastard you are," he lifted his head and gave his friend the most breathtaking smile. It wasn't a grin or a smirk, it was an honest to god smile that would put any other smile to shame. Sasuke was taken by the beauty of it and by the situation he was in, feeling as if this was just another scene in a manga.

The blond continued, seeing Sasuke's thoughtful face. "I've been thinking lately, and realized that your one of the best damn things that ever happened to me. Besides Silo, Sai, and my friends... you're the one thing that keeps me going. You saved me from a life of poverty," his laughter was melodious. "And you gave me a new life. There's nothing I can do to repay you for that except..."

Sasuke made himself speak. "Except...?"

Naruto leaned in and grinned. "Give you my body," his sung in a disney voice. He laughed and rolled off of the other male's body, his shoulders shaking, eyes tearing up. "I-I'm sorry, I was trying to be serious!"

Sasuke sat up and rolled his eyes. "Sure," he glanced down at the snorting blond and nudged him in the side with his foot. "But Dobe, there's nothing you need to give me. Just make use of what I've given you and take care of yourself and Silo, that's all I ask for."

"Yeah, of course you'd say that. After all, you **are** Silo's Otosan," the cerulean-eyed actor smiled up at the Uchiha. "I think I should start calling you Papa now."

Sasuke then kicked Naruto in the ribs; hard.

"Owwww, fuck, Teme!"

xXxXx

People were crowding around the huge multiplex, screaming and squeeling like the fans they were. It was the night of the premeire and it seemed as if everyone in Tokyo was there, young people everywhere in the streets around the chained off red carpet that would soon be littered with the feet of the famous and beautiful. A group of boys were right up front near where the limo would be pulling up to, all of them either "cosplaying" as Sasuke or Naruto.

One of the guards on the red carpet was Ibiki, a huge man in a black coat with a matching cap on his scarred head. He scratched the side of his nose and kept his eyes out for any trouble makers or possible threats to the actors. He saw a limo turning the corner a good bit away and motioned for the other guards to join him on the carpet. Among them was Kakuzu and Kisame, both members of the Akatsuki.

"I hate this coat," Kisame groaned and brushed his chest off, hating the feel of the fabric. He'd never been parted from his Akatsuki cloak since the day he'd joined the organization and was feeling the effects of, well, being cloak-sick.

"Shut up and take your position. If any of Orochimaru's men are out here, we need to be in perfect formation. Deidara and Sasori are already in the hotel across the street, snipers at the ready."

"Pft," the buff man took his spot across from Kakuzu. "They're probably fuckin' like bunnies."

The limo pulled up and everyone in the vicinity (other than the guards and reporters) broke out into joyous screams. The men and women who were close to the carpet held up their own copies of the magazines that the two actors had been in, posters, or special autograph booklets.

As the stretched vehicle came to a stop and the driver came out to open the doors, the news reporters began their walk down the carpet, having permission to ask their questions and such. A younger woman was in front, holding out her microphone to Naruto as the handsome male climbed out of the limo, flashing his ever so brilliant trademark smile.

"May I ask you a question, Uzumaki-san?" the shorter ravenette woman asked, her bright red lipstick distracting.

Naruto waved at the camera. "Sure!" Sasuke climbed out of the limo right after the blond, letting the moron have his own moment in the spotlight while he began signing autographs, causing some fangirls to break down into tears of happiness and collapse on the ground.

"This movie has become huge all over Nippon and is getting many spectacular reviews. How do you feel about that? This is your first movie after all," she moved the microphone closer and Naruto leaned in.

"It's got me pumped!" he answered honestly and loudly. "And it just proves that I'm an awesome actor, like I've always know. Hah, kidding," he moved in closer to the camera, giving the live audience at home a good cloe up of his bright eyes. "For those of you who couldn't make it to the premeire, go see the movie in theaters tomorrow!"

He was then jerked away from the camera by sasuke, the raven telling him not to be so cocky and to sign autographs so they could get inside quicker. The limo that they had arrived in drove away and another one appeared, the other actors stepping out and immediately being hounded by news reporters. Ino acted as if she'd been dealing with them all her life, her answers perfect.

Naruto made sure to sign every item that was being handed to him, whether it be a magazine or a bra. Sasuke tried to do the same, but his hand eventually cramped and he just settled with talking with the reporters instead.

"Chichiue!" Silo ran down the red carpet, grabbing his daddy's hand. He'd had to come in the limo with Ino and the others because there was some sort of policy against other people riding with the two main stars. The crowd around them suddenly bursted out into questions and wonder.

Naruto picked up his son and lifted him high in the air, wanting all of Japan to know who the crow was.

"Ch-Chichiue!" Silo squawked and flailed around.

"This is my son, Silo, isn't he cute?.!" he laughed and a lot of the females in the crowd cooed and squealed. The other 5 seem disappointed that the blond had a son, meaning he wasn't gay.

"Lemme down!" Silo was finally put down and he blushed from all of the attention, going behind Sasuke.

Sasuke placed a comforting hand on the child's head and lead him into the building, where Naruto and the other cast members followed. The doors were then shut and a side door was opened, only for those who had special passes to see the movie.

xXxXx

"Fly Away!" Naruto yelled, in perfect English, to the fans in the huge theater as he and the others approached their special seats. 'Fly Away' was now what most of the Japanese population said when the movie was mentioned. It had started because on every poster under the name of the movie those words were printed. It was a trademark saying now.

Sasuke settled down in his seat and crossed his legs, his composure calm and collected. He was used to movie premeires, being invited to one almost every week or two. He wasn't only popular with the people. he was popular among other stars, too.

While the raven was calm, Naruto was practically bouncing up and down in his seat, Silo trying to coax him into settling down. The blond was excited, wanting to see himself on the bigscreen. Ino laughed at him and said that she'd felt the same way when she'd started in the acting business, but that it got old after a while. Being in movies was always fun, but you didn't get the same excitement at a premeire after the fifth movie like you did the first.

The lights dimmed and, finally, Naruto remained still in his seat.

The previews for other movies weren't as appreciated as they would be in America, all of the fans desiring to just see the film and swoon over the hot guys and spectacular acting. When the previews ended after about nine minutes, the scene with Sasuke standing in the rain was the first thing shown. There was a close up on his face and he really looked broken, his hair soaked and matted to his pale jaw. His black eyes were empty as he stared through the thick blanket of rain, his breath coming out in huffs of air.

His lips moved, forming words, but no sound was heard, the scene cutting off. Then the name of the movie emerged from the black like rippled from the droplets of rain.

'Alterna(1)'

Everyone in the theater could already tell by that beautifully shot scene and the dead look in Sasuke's eyes, that the movie was going to be a tear jerker.

The rest of the movie went by slowly, but in a good way. It was in no way boring and definitely not fast paced and rushed, the tempo perfect. The scene on the screen now was the one where they had shared their first kiss and Sasuke smiled to himself, remembering the "practice" the night before.

The sex scene was also very appreciated among the people in the large room, but no one giggled, their voices unable to emerge because of the gorgeous image the camera captured. They were drawn in and Sasuke had to chuckle, thinking about ho the audience didn't know just how real that scene was for him.

Then the last scene of the movie arrived and most of the girls were crying. Sasuke's character was standing in front of the crashed vehicle, his bare and cut feet in the bloody, rainy water that covered the street. Naruto's body was contorted and twisted in the car, skin torn open and blood pouring out and mixing with the rain.

Sasuke's lips were once again moving in the rain, in the same pattern as at the beginning of the film. But this time, words errupted from his throat, raw and broken.

"Sanji-sensei..."

The light slowly came back on in the theater and the audience began clapping. Silo was even amazed with the movie, realizing how much Sasuke loved Naruto during many of those scenes. Of course, he was still blushing a bit from the sex scene, now knowing as bit more on how it was done.

The actors stood from their seats and professionally bowed to the audience, except for Naruto. He gave them a peace sign and struck a pose for some of the teenage girls who had their camera phones out.

Sasuke groaned, rubbing his temples. "Come on, Dobe, there's an after party. Please don't get intoxicated, your son is with you."

"Awww, don't worry, I'm a very responsible daddy, aren't I, Silo?"

Silo nodded happily, taking both mens' hands.

xXxXx

Kisame flipped open his cellphone when it rang, leaning against the large glass window just outside the multiplex theater. He put it to his ear and brushed dirt off of his pants. "What?" he grunted, not in the mood for friendly conversation.

"There's some movement a few blocks down, un. Tobi said he saw a few shady figures by the highway exit leading to Kyoto. He said they had tattoos on their necks, meaning that they **are** members of Oto, un," Deidara stated, the sound of shuffling in the background, then a gun loading.

"How many?" Kisame straightened himself.

"Around ten to twelve, un."

"Shit, that snake's not playin' around this time. Did you inform Itachi?"

"Yeah, un, he's on the way there as we speak. Sasori-danna's being impatient, so we're going to head off. We'll meet you there," then he hung up.

Kisame tucked the device away and turned to Kakuzu, who was already pulling out his own guy, careful of anyone seeing. As they both ran down the street, they didn't notice the figure walking up to the theater from the other way, gray hair in a low ponytail, beneath a black cap.

xXxXx

The after party had been fun. And like Naruto had said, he didn't get drunk. He'd only consumed two bottles of sake and a glass of wine to celebrate the success of the movie. Silo had been given various apple juice boxes, supplied by Ino, and in the middle of the party, Sai, Sakura and the others had arrived. They hadn't been able to go see the movie since they all had made plans with their families.

While everyone was clearing out, Naruto, Sasuke, and Silo all hopped into the same limo together, not caring about the policy that late at night. Everyone else took another limo, since they all wouldn't have fit in the other. As they were about to drive away, Sasuke noticed that their driver was different from the one before.

"Excuse me," he spoke up. "What happened to our previous driver?"

"Ah," the younger gentleman smiled into the rear view mirror. "He had a family emergency, so I am taking his place. Would you two like to stop anywhere before we arrive at your homes?" his tone was polite and he pushed his round glasses up the bridge of his nose.

Naruto shook his head. "Nah, I'm pooped and Silo needs to get to bed. He might not have school tomorrow, but he needs his beauty sleep," he teased.

The crow was already fast asleep, snuggled between both Naruto and Sasuke, his mouth slightly agape.

The driver nodded and made his way down the street. Naruto and Sasuke didn't even see a figure come out of the woods behind the car and set up a construction sign right after the limo passed. The vehicle Ino and the others were in had to go a different way; a longer way.

It only took twenty minutes to arrive at Naruto's house and the blond and raven exited. Naruto leaned down and was about to grab Silo, but the sound of a cocking gun stopped him. He stiffened and glanced over to see the drive standing there with a loaded gun pointed at him. The man took off his heat and thre it to the ground, walking forward. Beside him was another man with shoulder-length silver hair and green eyes. He must've just came from the woods beside them.

Sasuke was still, not expecting the attack. He gritted his teeth and looked over at Naruto.

The blond slowly stood up straight.

"You're Naruto-kun, yes?" the gray-haired male stepped forward again. The other man took out his own gun and pointed it at Sasuke, making sure the raven didn't make any sudden rash decisions. "Orochimaru has asked me to eliminate you. I'm sure you've heard why from one of Akatsuki's little spies."

Naruto furrowed his brows. "I haven't."

The other male raised his brows. "Is that so? Then I suppose you've been kept in the dark," he aimed the barrel of the gun at the blond's head.

Silo shifted in the back seat of the limo, his eyes slowly opening, lashes brushing against warm cheeks. He yawned and blinked, wondering why the doors were open and why his father and Sasuke weren't there with him. He leaned forward and climbed out of the automobile, glancing over to see both actors just standing there, talking to someone he couldn't see because the car was blocking his way. He walked forward, wanting to see who that someone was.

"Don't take this personal," the 'driver' said with a small smile. "We're just following orders."

Sasuke clenched his fists.

_I said I would protect him...!_ he reached back quickly to grab the gun Gaara had given him, but it was missing. His eyes widened, _It must've fallen out of my jacket in the limo!_

The silver-haired gentleman watched Sasuke's frantic movements, knowing that the raven was looking for a gun. He cocked his own gun.

Silo walked up behind Sasuke, peaking around to see two men he didn't know standing there with guns.

Sasuke turned sharply, hoping to see the weapon lying on the ground behind him, but he only saw Silo. His froze in place at seeing the big, confused blue eyes staring up at him.

Both men aimed their guns at Sasuke, seeing him as a threat.

Naruto snapped his neck to the side. "Sasuke!" he tried to jump in the way, but he knew he wouldn't make it.

Silo stepped forward slightly. "Otosan...?" he whispered.

The guns were fired.

Small drops of blood splattered onto Silo's face and neck, Sasuke's body stumbling forward, blood soaking into his clothes. His eyes closed slowly and he fell to the ground beside the crow.

Naruto stared in disbelief at his friend, then he looked up at Silo, who was shaking and wiping away the blood from his face. His blue eyes darted down to see the substance smeared on his small fingers and his whole frame shook with violent tremors.

Silo heard someone approaching and he slowly lifted his head, tears falling from his terrified eyes.

He found himself staring straight down into the barrel of a gun.

**(1) Alterna is going to be the name of a fic I'm going to start sometime next school year.**

**Um, no confession? I'm sorry, but it'll be next chap, ok? PROMISE! ... Don't hate me?**

**Awww, and poor wittle Silo.**


	28. Cold

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Yeah, I've sorta been... ignoring KWSC for this story XD but after this, I'll update it.**

**So far in the poll, Silo is the favorite:Hearts: Go Silo!**

**Prepare for heart ache.**

"Don't shoot the boy, Kimimaro, he's harmless," the grey-haired Oto member brushed his bangs to the side and let his coal eyes rest on Naruto, the blond on the verge of falling to his knees. He watched as he stepped over to his son and enveloped him in his arms, his legs finally giving out as he collapsed to the ground with the boy.

Silo clutched at his father's shirt tightly, his wide eyes focused on Sasuke's bleeding body. He blinked rapidly, burying his head in Naruto's shirt, sobs finally wracking his thin frama. He broke down and cried, screams tearing themselves from his throat, making Naruto pull him tighter against him.

"You can kill me," Naruto growled shakily. "But don't lay a hand on my son."

"There would be no reason to. Kimimaro, get rid of Sasuke-kun's body while I take care of Naruto-kun," Kabuto kicked up gravel as he went to Naruto's side, raising his gun to the man's head. Silo only cried harder, the blood from his face wiping onto the blond's shirt.

"Don't kill Chichiue!" he screamed, his voice cracking.

"Silo, be quiet," Naruto shushed him, rubbing his shoulders. He was afraid, but he wouldn't show that to his son. If he was going to die, he was going to die protecting Silo. "I don't want them to hurt you... not like they hurt Sasuke..." his voice wavered as he looked at the raven's still body.

Kimimaro bent down and grabbed onto Sasuke's wrists, turning him over and dragging him toward the woods. It was faint, but Naruto caught a glimpse of his friend's eyes moving. He straightened up and his fingers dug into Silo's arms. "He's alive..."

A loud lurching sound came from the trees and two shadowered figures leaped from the branches, gunshots going off. Naruto covered Silo's ears and watched as Gaara and another man shot Kimimaro in the head. Kabuto sneered and ran behind the limo for cover, getting into the vehicle and slamming the door shut, starting the engine.

"Follow the car, Hyuuga, see where it turns," Gaara told the handsome brunette who was with him. Said man nodded and ran after the limo, his speed amazing. Gaara bent down by Sasuke's body and looked into his dimming eyes. "Orochimaru set up a distraction for the main Akatsuki group. You both are lucky I didn't fall for it," he ripped open Sasuke's shirt and applied pressure to the wounds with his palms.

Naruto quickly stood, bringing Silo with him to his friend's body, trying to comfort the sobbing child. "Silo, shhh, it's alright. Sasuke-teme's ok. Look," he loosened his grip on Silo, but the refused to look, his crying only getting louder, as if knowing that the raven wasn't going to live for much longer.

Blood spurted from the gunshot wounds, Gaara's hands not helping in stopping the heavy flow. His hands ands arms were covered in the incarnadine red liquid, Sasuke's stomach suddenly jerking as his back arched. Blood errupted from his mouth and slid down his neck and jaw, soaking into his already damp hair.

Naruto didn't even notice the hot tears that slid down his face as he grabbed at Sasuke's twitching hand. He held it tight, leaning forward with his son still in his arms, some of the blood gushing out and staining his pants. "Don't fuckin' die on me you asshole! If you do, I'll never forgive you, got it?.!" he threatened, looking into the slowly blinking dark eyes. "Sasuke--!" 

"N-N-Naru...to..." Sasuke sputtered, more blood oozing out from between his pale lips. His fingers curled around the blond's, his body heat leaving him. He couldn't support his head any more and it lolled back, his chest heaving as he strained for breath, the blood continuing to spurt out of his wounds. Gaara pressed harder, but it did nothing. "I-I-I'm s-so sorry for... for being s-such a b-bastard to y-you..." he relished in the warmth of his friend's hand.

"You're dying and that's what you want to say?" Naruto's shoulder shook.

Sasuke spit up more blood and weakly chuckled. "N-no, I-I-I have s-something I... I need to tell y-you. P-please don't ha-hate me for saying th-this, but..." he blinked his dimming eyes and swallowed, only to cough up red liquid again. "I-I've never wanted to be j-just your friend... I-I-I," he forced himself to breath, gasping being the only thing he could accomplish. He tightened his grip on Naruto's hand, but found that he couldn't control his body any more and he started going into small seizures.

"S-Sasuke!" Naruto yanked Gaara's hands away, knowing what he was doing was useless. He handed Silo to the red-head and the boy didn't seem to notice, his body still shaking with horrible sobs. Naruto yanked Sasuke against him and wrapped his arms around the raven's thin frame. He didn't care about the metallic blood that stained the front of his shirt and pants. He felt the raven's head lull against his shoulder and panicked. "Don't close your eyes! D-Don't fall asleep!"

Sasuke's eyes were barely open, the dark orbs staring straight ahead at the tan neck presented to him. He could no longer control his functions and his limbs shook as if using up the rest of their strength before they would shut down for good. "I-I wanted to be more than j-just your fr-friend..." he whispered in a raspy voice.

Naruto lowered his head and could no longer hold back his tears, the salty water dripping from his red eyes and dripping into Sasuke's matted down hair. He pressed his warm palm to the back of his head and cradled him like a doll.

"I-I-I wanted t-to be so mu-much more..." Sasuke closed his eyes.

The blond felt the tremors lessen and his eyes snapped open. He pulled Sasuke back from him and watched as the raven's head just fell back, his eyes half open. "Stay awake! Sasuke, keep your eyes open!"

"I-I..." Sasuke threw up more blood and let his eyes drift shut, thick lashes caressing his deathly pale cheeks. His blue veins were visable under his sickly white skin. "...l-l-love you..."

Naruto clutched onto his friends shoulders and sobbed, shaking him. "F-fuck you, Uchiha! Y-you don't tell someone you love them then go and die!.!" Sasuke's body finally went limp and Naruto broke down. "I'll go on a date with you, I'll tell you I love you, I'll do whatever you want! Just don't die! What about Silo?.! You can't just leave him!.!"

Sasuke's cold body slipped from Naruto's grasp and he fell to the ground, his wounds no longer spurting blood. Naruto leaned over him and rested his forehead against the raven's, crying and begging for him to wake up, for him to just sit up and smirk at him like the bastard he was.

That was the scene the Akatsuki saw when they arrived at the scene. Itachi walked quickly through his group, speeding up his pace and falling to his knees in front of Naruto and Sasuke, placing his hand on Sasuke's cold cheek. He moved his fingers to his brother's neck, feeling for a pulse. He narrowed his eyes in pure anger, the orbs almost flashing red.

Hidan watched him with sad eyes, but turned to his fellow members. "Inject him with alcohol and give Itachi those blood pouches! Hurry up before the kid's dead!"

"He already is..." Naruto murmered against the skin of Sasuke's temple, his blue eyes unfocused.

_He's already gone._

xXxXx

Majik and Haruka sat beside Silo outside of his home. The black and white-haired boy tried to coax his friend into talking, but it was useless. It had been for the past hour. Silo sat between them, slumped over, his eyes obscured by his messy black bangs. His pupils were small, focused on his hands as the fingers twitched. He looked almost dead.

"Little Miss..." Majik whispered, placing his hands over the boy's. "Ya look so broken..."

Silo lifted his head and looked into the other's violet eyes. His face was blank, his eyes the only thing expressing his pain and fear. He looked like a porcelain doll sitting there, so fragile and motionless.

Haruka moved Majik aside and took Silo's hands in his own, then ran his small fingers up the cold arms, up round shoulders and a smooth neck. Silo just stared at him, but his brows twitched slightly when the blind boy ran his thumbs over his jaw, cheek bones, and barely brushed under his eyes. Haruka used that information and looked right where he thought his friend's eyes were.

Silo stared into Haruka's dark orbs and felt as if the other could see into him. His lashes lowered and he let himself cry again, letting out all of his pain. Majik watched this with fascination, then moved in closer to them and both he and Haruka pulled him into their arms, doing their best to comfort him.

Naruto was quiet as he watched the ambulance leave with Sasuke's limp body. The sirens were loud and left his ears ringing, even after the vehicle had disappeared into the dark night. The Akatsuki were beside him, excluding Itachi who had gone with Sasuke to the hospital. Hidan touched the blond's arm and tilted his head toward the street where Ino and the others were finally arriving. The detour Kabuto and Kimimaro had set up sent them into a whirpool of traffic in the city.

"I'll explain everything to 'em," Hidan offered. "I know you're not in the mood. And as soon as we get things straightened out, we're going to send you all back to the U.S. It's not safe here right now and being back in the states will be better for you, Kinpatsu-cha. I don't know when we'll be able to contact you, but we eventually will," he then patted Naruto on the shoulder and wheeled himself toward the limo where Sakura and Ino were looking at the blood on the ground in shock.

Naruto just stared ahead, but glanced over at Silo who was crying his heart out. He heard the crunching of gravel and turned, only to be embraced by Sai's smaller arms. The scent of cologne attacked his senses and he let his best friend hold him.

"He said he loved me," he told Sai, his voice low.

Sai pressed his face into the blond's golden locks, keeping quiet so that Naruto could speak his mind.

"If he would've told me earlier... then maybe I could've given us a chance. I'm not in love with him, but I could've **tried **a relationship. I would've given anything to make that bastard happy..." his eyes were watering again and he wiped furiously at them, his sadness turning into anger.

_Anything, I would've given anything._

xXxXx

Naruto held Silo in his arms as he walked into the plane terminal, his friends all behind him. He turned and gave them all a strained smile when they asked if he was ok. He nodded and tried to make a joke, but he trailed off after the next few words and just remained quiet after that as they boarded the airplane. Silo remained on his lap, the boy having been silent since the previous night.

He'd refused to talk, because when he did, he heard gunshots ringing in his ears. He was too frightened to even open his mouth except to eat. He was currently asleep against his father's firm chest, bags under his eyes from lack of sleep.

The blond looked out the plane window at all of the other planes taking off and idly played with Silo's tiny fingers, running his thumb over the golden bracelet Sasuke had given to Silo for his birthday.

_We're going back to our old life. Our life before we met Sasuke... _

After ten minutes, the plane took off and Naruto found himself staring off into clouds, deaf to the small conversations going on around him.

xXxXx

Silo leaned against the wall of the apartment, sliding down and burying his head between his folded arms over his knees. Since they'd arrived in the home Sasuke had gotten them so long ago, the small boy had been suffering from depression. Naruto knew it was unhealthy for someone so young, but he wouldn't try to cheer him up. After all, it's not like it was a puppy who died... It was a father-figure.

"What do you want for dinner?" Naruto asked his son, hoping for an answer.

But Silo didn't answer, his body stiff in the corner of the living room.

"I guess I'll make us some ramen. It's been forever since we've had the stuff," he tried to grin and pulled out two packages of chicken ramen from the bottom cupboard. He began cooking and found himself unconsciously singing a song, despite it being one of the songs he hated the most.

There are times when you hear a song that's so cheesy and sappy that you immediately say you dislike it, yet you continue to listen to it. You could go years without even thinking of the song, but then in a brief moment, the words and music come back to you. All because of one tiny event in your life.

"I've been dyin' inside," he sang, his lips twitching upward a bit. "little by little, nowhere to go. I'm goin' outta my mind. An endless circle...(1)" he died off when he heard Silo come into the kitchen. The small boy grabbed two bowls from the cupboard and sat them on the counter, remaining beside his father.

Naruto bent down and scooped Silo up into his arms. Smaller arms were wrapped around the blond's midsection and he smiled against ruffled black hair. He kissed the uncovered templed and sighed against his son's ear.

"We'll make it... It'll take time, but we'll make it through."

**(1)- What's Left of Me by Nick Lachey XD It's true. It's one of those songs you don't really like, but can't help but listening to. God, he's so emo! J/k!**

**Eh, short, I know. But that was all of the stuff I needed to put in this chapter.**

**Next chapter: 2nd part to the Itachi and Hidan filler.**

**What to look forward to in the timeskip arc!: Silo's illness, a try at a relationship, Sunako's arrival, more of the Akatsuki, and much much more!**


	29. A New Beginning

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Ok, I lied about updating KWSC ... I just wanted to update this so you all know that Sasuke is NOT dead. Um... the Itachi and Hidan filler will be up some other chapter XD**

**Keep up with all those reviews! Keeps me updatin' fast XD**

**New character in this arc: Othello**

An obese man strolled out of the back room of his icecream shop, his dark blue umbrella tucked under his left arm as he locked the door behind him. He coughed into his hand and tucked his keys away, his bald head bright under the flourescent lights by the blenders. Two employees greeted him as he passed them, decked out in their pink and white uniforms.

He stepped by the main kitchen and eyed one of his workers with small black eyes, coming to a stop as he realized the boy was daydreaming. Groaning, he waddled over to the teenager and shook him from his thoughts, earning him a light yelp of surprise.

"If I find you daydreaming again, you're fired. You got that, Silo?" he threatened gruffly, watching his employee nod before turning on his heel and leaving the parlor.

Silo was now fifteen, his face (like every other child) having lost its baby fat. His girly figure was covered with a tight and snug pink dress uniform that cut off seven inches above his knees, his hairless legs bent slightly as he leaned against the counter by the drive-thru window. His black hair almost reached his shoulders, the locks more tamed now than before, but still a tad bit unruly. And his blue eyes were more stunning than before, outlined slightly with eyeliner.

"Silo! You only have five minutes left before you're free from this hell hole! At least do something useful!" a short girl said as she hung up her apron. She was one of Silo's classmates in highschool, Aubrey Ellyse. She was loud, cocky, and bossy, but she was one of the crow's good friends.

Silo pouted, brushing a long strand of hair out of his pretty face. "It's two in the afternoon, no one buys icecream now. Everyone's at work or at home."

Aubrey scoffed and shoved him toward the doors. "Then get your girly ass home! You said you had to help your dad with the house, right? Oh, tell him I said hi!" she shoed him away with a big smirk, slapping his butt.

Silo rubbed his sore behind and began his way home, walking down the same sidewalk he went down everyday after work. He and Naruto still lived in Frederick, not because it was terribly exciting or anything, but because they thought Itachi wouldn't be able to find them if they moved. They each knew deep down, though, that the Uchiha would be able to locate them no matter what country they were in.

But their choice in staying there was mostly forced by the thought of leaving behind their memories of Sasuke.

The cool breeze washed over the teen's skin and he looked up at the bright blue sky, wondering what Haruka and Majik were doing right at that moment. Not a day went by where Silo didn't think of them. Those two were his best friends as a child and it would stay that way, despite the thousands of miles between them. He hadn't talked to them since the day Sasuke had died, but he knew they still thought of him.

He hoped they did.

Turning the corner into a cozy neighborhood, he walked up the driveway of the first house on the right and pulled out his rainbow key (which Kiba had given him) and pushed it into the lock, twisting the knob and opening the heavy wooden door. Dust assaulted him immediately and he coughed, closing his eyes and backing up into the grass.

"Dad, what're you doing in there?" he'd given up on calling him Chichiue years ago, when he turned ten.

There was coughing coming from inside, then Naruto ran out wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a bright yellow t-shirt. His messy golden hair was matted down with sweat and he collapsed into the grass, rolling over and laughing. He grinned at his son and motioned for him to sit beside him.

Silo sighed and plopped down in the grass, careful of the short dress uniform he was wearing. "Was that your idea of cleaning? How are we going to go back in with all that dust?"

"I opened all of the windows in the house, so it should be aired out within an hour. Man, you should've seen that huge ass duster thing I used-- Hey... how come you're wearing your dress today? Haven't you been taking your medicine?" Naruto frowned, sitting up and brushing grass from his yellow mop of hair.

Smiling a bit, Silo tilted his head to the side, trying to look innocent. "But Dad, you know those pills make me depressed."

Naruto sat up and shoved his face close to his son's. "That's a lot better than you sneaking out at night with those men. Now, as soon as the house is done being aired out, you'll take your medicine and lie down. You can't be depressed if you're sleeping, right?"

Silo huffed and pouted, his pink bottom lup jutting out cutely.

xXxXx

Staring at the wall across from his bed, Silo looked at all of the pictures of him with Sasuke, or of him with his best friends. Rolled on his side, his right arm was dangling over the edge of the mattress, his fingers twitching as he began to hear gunshots echo inside of his head. Closing his eyes slowly, he rolled over and covered his ears with his palms, trying to block out the noise. He could hear the gunshots, Sasuke's gurgled confession, and his father's pleas for the raven to stay with him.

Eyes snapping open, he abruptly sat up and lowered his feet to the wooden floor. He stood and quickly went over to his closet, pulling open the sliding doors and searching through the many wardrobes. He pushed his normal clothes aside to yank out a black dress and a cinnamon-colored wig.

He held the items in his hands and looked down at them as if he was begging for them to just disappear, but then he laid them on the bed and began sliding off his pajama shirt, revealing creamy skin and healed scars that had lately blended in with his color. Pulling off the rest of his attire, he slipped on a pair of pink panties and his dress, the wardrobe a tight fit. He then clipped up his hair and put on the wig, looking at himself in his full-body mirror.

He then smirked and began applying lip gloss.

xXxXx

Naruto climbed into his car and pulled out his cellphone to make sure that Silo didn't need to get picked up from work today.

It'd been nine years since they'd returned to the U.S. and he'd gotten a good job as a businessman for an electronic company. He'd given up acting because it felt wrong without Sasuke and when he even tried to act something out, he'd see the Uchiha's face in his mind, stopping him dead. While he'd come out of the incident without any serious problems, Silo was a different story. The child had gone to see a psychiatrist many times and had actually been diagnosed with a disorder when he'd turned nine.

He pulled onto the highway and redialed Silo's cellphone number after he didn't pick up the first two times. After a few more rings, his son picked up.

_"Mmm?"_ he sounded tired.

Naruto frowned. "Silo? What's wrong?"

_"Y-you're on your way home, right? I think... one of those guys put something in my drink last night. I keep throwing up..."_

Naruto turned the corner and gripped tightly onto his steering wheel. "You went out last night?.! Why? I thought you took your medicine--"

_"I did, Dad, but... they don't work anymore. I really tried to stop myself, but I couldn't. I'm really sorry..."_

"No, it's fine. Just... drink a lot of water and I'll be home soon. We'll watch a movie together and I'll schedule an appointment with your doctor so you can get a different treatment, alright?"

_"Ok..."_ then there was the sound of gagging and Silo shut off his cellphone.

Naruto closed his own phone and tucked it away, feeling like he was worthless. He tried so hard to keep his son in tune with his normal life, but it was like his efforts weren't good enough. He spent as much time with Silo as possible, he gave up dating to be a full-time father, he paid hundreds of dollars for Silo's medicine, and he even paid for a specific doctor and therapist. But all of his work wasn't doing any good.

After Sasuke's death, Silo had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. After four years, that had morphed into something worse; Dissociative disorder, also known as Multiple Personality Syndrome. The boy had tried to cope with his sadness and memories, but in the end, it just split up his mind into two different parts. There was the normal Silo, who dressed like any other boy and was like every other teenager; and then there was Melee, the part of Silo that believed he was a female. Melee was the vulgar and slutty side of the crow.

Naruto knew that the whole reason why it was a woman that was created, was because Silo was heavily influenced by his highschool friend, Othello. The boy was a crossdresser and no one would know he was actually a male unless he told them himself. He had been such a good friend to Silo ever since they'd returned to Frederick and the blond knew it was Othello that inspired the creation of Melee.

Turning onto his street, he pulled up into the open garage and quickly climbed out, locking the door, closing the garage door, and racing inside, hoping not to see Silo lying on the bathroom floor. Instead, he found the crow sitting on the sofa with a bottle of water in his shaking grasp. His face looked pale, but he smiled at his father.

"Okaeri," he welcomed Naruto.

Rushing over to the couch, Naruto sat down and pulled Silo against him, getting into a comfortable position. He sighed and tilted his head back, staring up at the ceiling, praying that his son would get better soon. He hated seeing him like this, he hated not being able to control Melee, and to watch him leave at night then return in the morning after, sick and crying, was too much for him.

"I already picked out a movie. It's in the VCR," Silo whispered with his head on his dad's shoulder. Some might think it was weird to be this close to his father, but really, the blond was everything he had and would ever had if he continued to suffer from his condition.

Naruto reached over and grabbed the remote, setting the TV and VCR up. Pressing play, the menu of 'Alterna' came on. It was his and Sasuke's movie...

"Are you sure you want to watch this?"

Silo nodded. "Maybe if I force myself to see him all the time, I'll get better."

But he knew deep inside, that he was just lying to himself.

xXxXx

Aubrey watched her friend yawn for the twentieth time in the past five minutes. She rolled her eyes and handed her customer his hot fudge sundae with a sweet smile, despite her pissed off mood.

"Silo!" she snapped and turned once the last customer at the moment was gone. "Get your act together, you have a job to do! There's someone at the window!"

Said worker wiped his eyes and stumbled over to the window, pulling it open and taking the customer's order. He handed it to Aubrey and she just grumbled, taking it and getting to work, mumbling about lazy emo boys.

Silo let another worker take his place as he decided to take his break, feeling a bit too tired to do anything at the moment. He knew his friends didn't care and his boss wasn't going to come by anytime that day, so he told himself he was only going to take a small nap.

Wandering outside, he plopped down at one of the wooden benches and rested his cheek against the prickly surface, closing his eyes. He thought he was still awake, but when he heard someone talking fairly similar to how Majik would talk and someone replying in annoyance like Haruka, he knew he must've been dreaming... but there weren't any visuals.

Opening his eyes slowly, he glanced up, only to come face to face with a grinning teenage boy. He jumped back, startled by the bubbling male.

"Little Miss!.!" the boy turned and yanked on his friend's arm. "Look, it's Little Miss! We found 'im!" he had black and white hair and very unusual clothes. Now that Silo thought about it...

"M-Majik...?" he looked over at the other teenager and after one good look at the silver hair and red eyes, he felt his heart speed up and his eyes water. "Haruka...kun...?"

Haruka stepped forward and reached out, pressing his cool fingers against Silo's heated cheek, tracing the cheekbones. He then smiled and spoke, his voice deeper and oddly sinful. "Silo, we've missed you."

Silo yanked himself away from the table and almost tripped when he ran around it and leaped into their arms, startling Haruka (since he was still blind). He felt their arms around him and tried to keep himself from crying, but he couldn't, his shoulders shaking and hot tears dripping from his long lashes.

And instead of just staying in their arms, he pulled away and glared at them with damp eyes.

"Why didn't you ever contact me?.! I thought you'd forgot about me, you-- you idiots!" he wiped at his eyes and choked on a sob. "A-and then you suddenly show up and have me crying like a little girl..."

Majik grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, but Mr. Weasal was tryin' to keep stuff underwraps, ya know? Oh! And there's some pretty good news that I know you'll wanna hear! It's ' bout your Otosan!"

"My... Otosan?"

xXxXx

Naruto finished setting the table, knowing that Silo was going to come home soon, and stretched. He grinned to himself, placing his famous riceballs filled with strawberry jam in the very center of the wooden table. He'd created them once out of sheer boredom one night and the item was now a part of the Uzumaki family every day diet.

Waltzing into the living room, he turned on the TV and set it to cartoons, what he knew Silo loved the most. The boy might've grown up on the outside, but he was still a little kid on the inside. He was about to go into his room to stick on a pair of PJ's, but a joyful knock at the door stopped him. He spun around on his bare heel and rushed to the door, not expecting anyone.

"Who is it?" he asked, hoping it wasn't anyone trying to sell him bibles. He had enough of those shoved in a drawer in the guest room. One was good enough, but he never really used it, except for propping up his lamp table in the living room.

"Kinpatsu-cha! It's meeeeeeee!" a voice sung from behind the thick door.

Naruto froze, his hand on the silver knob. He hesitently twisted it and pulled the door open, a very healthy looking Hidan in front of him, wearing a goofy grin. He was pushed aside, though, and the silver-haired man made his way inside, looking the place over.

"Nice house--"

"What're you doing here?" Naruto's voice was low. He was happy, yet... memories were flooding back, memories he didn't want to remember.

Hidan blinked his amethyst eyes. "Why, I said we were going to contact you sooner or later, so I thought it's be nice to see you in person again," he grinned. "And me and Weasal-san have a little surprise for you and Silo! Too bad the little squirt's not here, though," he frowned a bit. He hadn't changed much in the past nine years, only a defined wrinkle on his forehead while furrowing his brows was the sign of his aging.

"You don't contact me for almost ten years and you just drop by to give me a surprise?" Naruto asked.

"Mmmm, well, we're gonna crash here for a bit. Maybe a month or two, then we're gonna head back to Japan. After all, we still have Orochimaru to deal with. Weasal-san was so close to killin' him, but the cops got in the way," he sighed. "Well, time for your surprise! Roll him in, Weasal-san!"

The sound of wheels rolling and pebbles being crunched under feet was what Naruto heard. Then Itachi walked in, looking not a day older than when Naruto had last seen him, pushing in someone sitting in a wheelchair.

The blond froze.

Sasuke sat in the metal chair, his skin extremely pale, his black eyes downward, focusing on the folded hands on his lap. His raven hair was long (down to his elbows) and he was just motionless, as if he was a porcelain doll. He stepped forward and fell to his knees in front of his friend, his blue eyes wide and dry, his tears for the man having been shed all those years ago.

Hidan spoke, "The second reason why we didn't contact you earlier was because we wanted to wait until Sasu-chan woke up. He's been a coma for the past nine years and he'd just recently woken up. His muscles aren't working right, so he can't move, talk, or control the movement of his eyes. But if you talk to him, he can hear you."

Naruto reached forward and touched Sasuke's hand, his own limbs shaking.

"Sasuke..." he smiled, a heart warming upturn of pink lips. "Sasuke, you made me think you were dead you stupid teme... " he wiped at his eyes, tears finally springing to life.

He laughed, a sob ripping itself from his throat.

**Sasuke's back, Silo's an ill person, and Naruto's a businessman, OH MY!**


	30. Fallen

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**IMPORTANT- Read Ray T. Akaru's stories and review:Hearts: If not because I said so, then because there's gonna be smut! **

**IMPORTANT- At Gaia, I'm collecting fanboys. If you are one of my fans and are male, then look me up on Gaia. My name's Vanity-sama there. Bonus points if you're gay or bisexual XD Sorry, I'm such a loser.**

**Thanks for all of you who've been reviewing! I've gotten over 300 reviews for the past three chaps alone! If you guys keep this up, I might die of sheer happiness XD Sorry that I haven't updated for a week, but I now have a writing system. :Gasp: Which is amazing for me! So you know the schedule, I'll update once every week, maybe twice. If you guys review a lot, who knows, I might be super nice and update twice in a row.**

Naruto brushed his hands over Sasuke's arm, running his thumb over the bulged veins that went from his upper arm to his wrists, splitting off into his stiff fingers. He'd cried for a total of twenty minutes before Itachi suggested cutting his younger brother's hair, since it was getting too long for his liking. The elder was known for his beautiful long hair, not Sasuke; he was the duck butt.

Staring over at his friends open (but dead) eyes, the blond sighed and stood up, grabbing a pair of scissors from one of the drawers in his work desk. He flicked on the bedroom lights and glanced up at the flickering bulb, making a mental note to buy a new pack later. Pulling the raven's wheelchair to the foot of the bed, he sat down and lifted up a long lock of silky black hair. He had washed it beforehand, to get the grease out.

He smiled inwardly. _I hope I can cut it right... I wonder who used to do it before?_ his own stupid question made him laugh to himself, the soft sound bouncing off of the vanilla walls. Focusing on the task at hand, he began cutting away, making sure the hair wasn't trimmed too short. As he shifted Sasuke around to cut the bangs, he thought he saw the male's obsidian orbs move, but brushed it off as a trick of the eye.

"You know, it's been extremely boring without you here," he started talking to Sasuke, hoping he could process the words and remember them when he became normal again. "All of my friends are fun, but... you had this air about you that always made me happy," he laughed, continuing to cut the raven's hair, slivers falling to the floor.

He looked at his work and actually laughed as he realized Sasuke's hair did the duck-butt style all by itself once cut to the right length. He looked up when he saw Itachi enter the room and sit beside him, wearing something other than his Akatsuki cloak for once. He had bags under his eyes, probably from all the years without healthy sleep.

"You did a good job," the weasel commented, his dark eyes trained on the spiky hair. "It looks just like it did nine years ago," a smile was absent from his handsome face, probably because he would never be truly happy until he actually saw his brother stir from the vegetable state he was in.

"Huh, I always thought he used gel to keep it up..." Naruto trailed off, the silence of the room a bit awkward. He swallowed thickly and sat the scissors down on the bed beside him, opposite of Itachi. "Itachi..." he began, wondering about something. "How did you deal with this for nine years? Looking at him like this... I'd probably break down," he admitted to being weak.

Itachi smiled a bit, adjusting the golden band around his thin wrist. "I had Hidan and Majik with me, that's how. It's always good to have someone there for you in moments of need."

The bedroom door was slammed against the wall as Silo entered, his cerulean eyes wide and his breath coming out in short huffs. His clothes were disheveled and his hair was messy from running through the neighborhood during such a windy day.

His eyes fell on Sasuke in the wheelchair and he ran forward, holding his hand out to press it against the man's face. He blinked away his sudden tears, feeling as if he'd cried enough that day, his chest constricting painfully. He bit his bottom lip as he realized that his Otosan was definitely real, in his home, and alive, his breath ghosting through his nostrils and washing over Silo's chilly hand.

"Silo," Naruto called to his son, a huge smile on his face, despite the condition of his friend. "He's not dead," he said. "He's been alive all this time and we didn't know it."

"Otosan..." The crow shifted forward and wrapped his arms around Sasuke's shoulders, pressing his face into the man's neck. He began to cry, even though he knew he was being girly, but he couldn't help it. It wasn't every day that someone suddenly came back from the dead.

Haruka and Majik came into the room a few moments later, Hidan cursing out in the kitchen because Itachi had made him cook everyone dinner for this "joyous occasion". The two boys has basically carried their best friend all the way home because he was a heaping pile of tears and sobs, and when he finally stopped, he saw Sasuke and broke down again.

Majik laughed. "You're such a girl, Little Miss! There's a penis between your legs, isn't there?"

Silo stood up and gave Majik a glare, but it was accompanied by a pout.

"Hey," Naruto cut in. "How about we go into the dining room and get something to eat? It's been a while since we've all been together, so I'm sure Sasuke'd like that..." he stood up and grabbed onto the handles of Sasuke's wheelchair. "Who knows, maybe he'll 'wake up' to the smell of good ol' food," he pushed him out of the room, then glanced back at Haruka and Majik, looking them over. "Wow, you two've grown up..."

Haruka thanked him politely, while Majik looked over at him and snorted.

"Yeah, we've grown up, but nothin' close to how Little Miss has blossomed!" he took Silo's hand and kissed it like a gentleman, his amethyst eyes sparkling. "His beauty rivals that of springtime in Hokkaido."

Silo blushed and snatched his hand back. "I see you've become a bit more mature."

"Nah, Nii-san just gave me a few pills before we got here and I'm pretty drugged up," Majik admitted, staring up at some imaginary object floating in the air, giggling.

Haruka rolled his eyes and squinted, rubbing at them, catching the attention of Silo as they all sat at the dinner table, Hidan cursing to himself and wearing an apron. As everyone knew, he was a naturally cheerful man, but he despised cooking. It was always Itachi that made him breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And if it wasn't him, then he just stopped by a fast food place and got a burger.

Silo looked straight at Haruka, actually widening his eyes and letting out a small gasp as the man looked straight at him. "C-Can you see me?"

Haruka let his pink lips twitch upward and he shook his head. "Soon, I will. But at the moment, everything's very unfocused and misty. I can see the blue in your eyes, though," he kept his intense gaze and Silo blushed a bit, his real self showing.

There were three states he was usually in. His normal self, where he was usually shy and innocent; his mid-self, which was when he was in between being Silo and Melee, cocky and wearing girl clothes; and then there was Melee, his sinful side that craved attention and gained it by using his body and beauty.

Naruto grinned foxily, his eyes narrowing into slits, the orbs shimmering with amusement. "Haruka," he crooned. "Is that your way of hitting on my son? I must say, good job."

Silo lowered his head as his entire face glowed bright in embarrassment. Sure, he'd sort of liked Haruka when he was little, but...

Haruka let out a small laugh. "If I were to 'hit on him', it would be in a more romantic setting."

"Ooooooh, a gentleman. I see your papa raised you well," the blond laughed, finally remembering Sasuke, who was sitting in the wheelchair beside him. His happy expression slipped from his face as guilt washed over him. He'd just forgotten about his friend... "Hey, Teme... I know something fun we can do tonight, just you and me. You wanna know what it is?" he gave the raven his trademark grin, his pepsident white smile almost unbearable.

Sasuke remained motionless, his head tilted to the side, black eyes still trained on his lap. His freshly washed and trimmed hair was fluttering back and forth from the breeze coming in through the window behind him, his bangs brushing against his feminine face.

"Hm, well, you'll find out soon enough."

Despite the last few minutes of happiness, Naruto felt as if he could cry again. He wanted nothing more than to hear Sasuke call him Dobe again, to hear his rich chuckle when something amused him, to see his lips lean up into the beautiful smile he rarely showed anyone but his brother, himself, and Silo...

_Maybe I'm falling in love with him... _he told himself, thinking about it for a while as everyone around him remained quiet, not wanting to disturb his paused speech. He smiled bitterly to himself, catching the eye of his son and Itachi. _All of that time with him and I was such a dumb ass, not noticing how he felt at all... I told myself I'd find that special person and kept looking for her... But I didn't realize that that person was right in front of me, hurting inside... Fuck, if I wouldn't have been so stupid..._ he gritted his teeth. _I was so convinced I was straight, but love... has no boundaries, does it? _

He shook his head and gave everyone an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I kind off lost myself in space there. Sooo, Hidan, what's there to eat?"

"Boxed garlic potatoes and hamburgers on the skillet," the Akatsuki member replied with a grin.

Itachi frowned in disapproval.

xXxXx

Night had come quickly as everyone chatted about old memories and what had happened in their lives during those nine years without contact. Haruka told the Uzumaki men that Kakashi and Iruka had gotten 'married' and he'd already been accepted into the finest college in Japan; Majik rambled on about being too old to be a virgin; and Itachi and Hidan announced their engagement. Naruto and Silo were surprised to say the least, never having thought the two would... tie the knot. It was strange to see them as a married couple, especially when Hidan had mentioned Itachi was the wife.

Naruto immediately had a mental image of Itachi in a flowery dress making pancakes for his beloved husband as he got ready for work. He blinked rapidly and swore a few of his brain cells had just died.

After their 'circle of sharing', Silo, Haruka, and Majik had retreated to the crow's bedroom, Itachi and Hidan had gone out to the store to get some of the every day products they used, and Naruto and Sasuke were in the living room, the TV screen glowing blue since the movie had just ended. The blond had hoped Sasuke would've somehow suddenly recovered completely because of the rush of memories from their film. But he realized how stupid he'd been for thinking that.

Sasuke was slumped on the couch, his arms limp at his sides, head drooping down, and his mouth slack. Beside him, Naruto just stared, his own cerulean eyes reflecting the dark shade of blue from the television. He turned to Sasuke, his eyes already moist. He was known to be a strong person, always smiling or laughing during any situation... but right now, he was so weak that he thought if he were to be touched, he'd fall to pieces and scatter on the floor.

The blond reached out and tugged on Sasuke's shoulders, pulling him against him and embracing him, just like the day he'd thought the man had died.

Closing his eyes, he tried to absorb the warmth.

xXxXx

Majik ran around the spacious room, looking through every book he found, gazing at every picture lying about, and smelling any odd item he could get his hands on. As he did this, Haruka and Silo sat on the crow's bed, talking about random things. It was hard to find something good to talk about when the other had no clue what you were rambling on about. That was the bad thing about living in different countries and never calling each other.

After a few minutes, and Silo didn't know how, but they'd gone onto the topic of boyfriends and girlfriend. Majik became interested quick and flew onto the bed, his back slamming into the wall. He slid down and grinned at Haruka's blank face and Silo's shocked and worried expression.

"A-are you ok, Majik?" the black-haired teenager asked, hoping his friend hadn't hurt himself. Though, because he hadn't taken his medicine yet, he wondered more about the state of his poor wall. He internally shrugged, knowing the medicine wouldn't have done anything for him anyway. He'd just have to wait for the doctor appointment tomorrow morning.

"Of course! Pft, like a wall could hurt me," Majik flopped forward and stretched out across Silo's lap, pawing at his thigh like a purring cat and wriggling his hips around to get comfortable. Even though Haruka was still basically blind, he could see the blur that was his annoying friend covering Silo's lap.

He frowned.

"I would appreciate it if you kept yourself from molesting Silo," he stated.

Majik rolled off and snuggled against Haruka instead. "Fine, I'll molest ya instead. Sheesh, I thought you said I wasn't good in bed, Haru-ru!"

Silo's face flushed a cherry red and he averted his eyes. "You two...?"

"Never," Haruka gritted out, his true self finally shining through. He was always polite with company and his father's friends, but when it came to his true friends, he wasn't afraid to act like this. He was glad he could finally get away from everyone so he could take his frustrations out on Majik. He punched the boy on the back of the head and violently shoved him off the bed.

Silo squeaked.

Majik sat up and glared at Haruka, the look very similar to Itachi's. Of course, the older Uchiha had probably trained him in the art of being an Uchiha. He'd failed personality-wise, but in the talent department, he'd graduated with flying colors.

"So!" Majik started loudly, climbing back onto the ruffled bed. "About lovers and sex!"

"Keep your voice down," Haruka criticized.

Majik ignored him and huddled close to Silo, eyes wide, a huge smile plastered on his peach-colored face. "Oi, Little Miss. Do you have a boyfriend? You're too beautiful and sweet not to have one," he smiled, his first real one that entire day. "I'm sure they love you a lot. If I were your boyfriend, I'd treat ya like the most precious porcelain doll."

Silo blushed prettily and shook his head, his neck-length onyx hair brushing against his jaw. "I don't... have a boyfriend. I've never been too interested in dating, but... my friend Othello forced me on a few blind dates once. Though... no one stayed with me for long," his tone was a bit sad once he finished up.

"Why not?.!" Majik cried.

"My condition... I thought it would be rude of me to keep it from them. After all, honesty is good in a relationship..." Silo replied, looking down at his lap.

"Condition?" Haruka spoke up. Was he sick?

The Uzumaki child knew he would've had to tell them sooner or later, so he shifted on the bed and pulled his knees up to his chest. Sometimes when his therapist made him share his disease with others, he would pull his knees to his chest or keep his hands in front of him, doing something. He'd use any appendage to keep a small distance between himself and the other person he was telling, feeling as if that small action could keep him safe from rejection.

"Promise you won't call me... a freak or something?" Silo asked them, nervous. When they both nodded, he bit his bottom lip and quickly slid off of the bed, hurrying over to the closet and slowing pulling the sliding doors open. He pushed aside his normal everyday clothes and stepped aside, showing them the dresses, high heel shoes, make-up, and wigs.

There was silence.

"Why would I call you a freak for that? I think it's hot, Little Miss," Majik grinned.

Silo pouted and grabbed a few papers off of the top rack, carrying them over to the both of them so they could read them. He'd made many copies, mainly because when he was Melee, he'd get angry and deny having an illness, burning the papers with either or a lighter or tossing them in the fireplace.

"It started out with Post Traumatic..." he added slowly as he saw their faces while they read. "I suppose... that night affected me more than I would've liked. I just wanted to forget, but I was never able to... I still can't."

Haruka sat the papers down on his lap and looked at the outline of whom he considered his best friend, even with him being absent all these years. Did Silo get treated differently because he had this disorder?

"You have... split personalities?" Majik glanced over at Silo. "And judgin' by the dresses..."

"It's a female personality," Silo stated, quite embarrassed. "Her name's Melee... you know, like the Mario game," he gave them a small smile. "She appeared on my tenth birthday. I guess another birthday without Otosan just upset me too much..." he sighed. "And she's sort of the embodiment of my... seven sins?" he didn't really know how to put it. "She's everything you hate in a person and she's the reason I don't have a boyfriend. Though, she's also the reason why... I'm no longer a virgin."

"...Did you even know who it was with?" Majik was dumbfounded, actually shocked stupid.

Silo shook his head. "Back then, I couldn't remember anything that happened when Melee decided to take over. I just remember waking up sore with blood and...semen caked onto my skin. I was twelve then..."

"You were fuckin' twelve?!" Majik shouted, not giving Haruka anytime to voice his anger and shock. "You were raped when ya were that young?!"

With all of the yelling, Silo felt his eyes water. He hated when people yelled around him because the loudness make him hear the gunshots again.

"I-It wasn't exactly rape..." he whispered, looking down at the floor. He could hear someone get up from the bed and let his eyes flutter close, tears threatening to slip down his peach cheeks. "I'm sure-- I'm sure I was willing..." his voice trailed off and warm arms enveloped him, comforting him. He hadn't had much of a problem with his disorder before, but trying to explain it to his best friends made him feel so inferior, small, and different.

Haruka kept Silo against his chest, running his fingers through silky black hair in a comforting manner. Majik was still sitting on the bed, dumbstruck, trying to process everything. His sweet Little Miss was mentally ill... and he'd been raped at the age of twelve. The sudden attack of Oto that night nine years ago had opened a portal of hell for the teenager.

"It's alright," Haruka whispered, remembering when he had to soothe his friend the night of Sasuke's 'death'. He held the crying boy and ran his other hand down the small of his back, rubbing soothing circles. His father had taught him that that was a good way to calm someone down. "Don't think that we'll think any less of you. You can't help the fact that you're sick... But I promise you that I'll help you get better. The best medicine is support from friends and family."

Majik heard those words and realized that Silo did indeed need as much support as he could get. He got up and settled with ruffling his friends hair, not wanting to steal away the small body from Haruka. He looked comfortable in the strong male's arms, anyway.

"Yeah, we're gonna support ya all the way until you're back to normal, Little Miss. If we didn't, what kind of friends would we be, huh?"

Silo smiled against Haruka's chest, thankful that he was allowed some good in his horrible life.

xXxXx

A few minutes before, Naruto had heard a loud bang in Silo's room, but shook it off as Majik being stupid. His arms were still firmly around the raven's motionless body, the television screen still a boring blue. He began talking, hoping that Sasuke could hear him.

"Did you know that Silo's sick?" he asked. "It started the night you were shot... he became depressed, never talked, and refused to leave the house except for school. But then he began to have constant nightmares and hallucinations of that night, even three years after the incident... I took him to see a psychologist and she said that he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I thought that he'd get better after a while, but a year later, it just got horribly worse," his eye were dry, but he knew he'd eventually begin to cry. It was hard not to with everything that had gone on that day.

Breathing in deeply, he continued. "His personality would suddenly change and he'd go from being his sweet self to... to a vulgar child. He would curse, steal, hit, and then I found out he snuck out at night. I went looking for him one time and... found him having sex with a few men behind a grocery store. I didn't know what was going on, so I took him back to see the psychologist and they diagnosed him with a different disorder; Multiple Personality Syndrome. He had what was like a completely different person living inside of his mind, with its own thoughts, its own beliefs, even its own identity."

He coughed, trying to disguise the sob. Even with Sasuke in this state, he didn't want him to see him so weak and defenseless.

"I try caring for him like I usually do, but no matter what I do... Melee still shows up and I can't do anything to stop her. If I try to get forceful, I become scared, thinking that I'll hurt Silo. Sasuke-Teme... I-I don't know what to do. I've had to deal with this for years and it's been really hard. I-It would be so much easier if you were here, helping me..."

There was a shifting sound and Naruto's bright blue eyes widened, a single tear slipping from his right eyes, stopping half way down his defined cheek. He watched numbly as Sasuke's foot twitched, the bare toes wiggling, right before the blond felt the blinking of eyes against his bare arm. Heart beating wildly, he pushed Sasuke from his body, his head still lolled to the side, black choppy bangs covering his face. Pink lips barely moved, but Naruto definitely saw them part.

He brushed bangs out of a handsome face and burst out into a heartfelt smile, tears streaming down his face without him knowing. Sasuke's dark eyes were trained on him, eyelids slowly lowering, then lifting themselves, long lashes caressing the pale cheeks. His breath was calm, a pink tongue darting out to lick dry, chapped lips.

Naruto broke down and cried, but his sobs soon turned to laughter as he felt Sasuke's warm fingers trace over his whisker-like marks.

"Nine years... o-of dreaming of your smile..." Sasuke's voice was raspy from years of not being used. "And when I f-finally wake up, you're crying. Can't y-you do anything right, Dobe?"

The blond almost let out a wail of happiness as he heard the nickname, shoving Sasuke back onto the couch cushions with the force of his hug. He sobbed openly, nine years spent with pent up tears and frustrations. He realized then that he indeed felt more for the Uchiha than any other woman he'd been with or tried to be with. He clutched the man to him and breathed in his scent, hating how he smelled of the hospital, but catching the scent of rosewood.

He'd started life over and now was Sasuke, and he was going to start it right.

**Cranapple juice helps when you're on your period. It gets rid of cramps and shortens the period days. Mine only lasted two days this time XD Just a little womanly advice.**


	31. Melee

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**THIS CHAP IS DEDICATED TO THE ONE PERSON WHO COULD MAKE MY HEART HURT O.o I LOVE YOU, DJ!**

**Do you all know how much your reviews mean to me? For the past five chaps, I've been gettin', like, over 110 reviews! If ya guys keep that up I might cry of happiness. I love you guys so much!**

**In this chap, we welcome the lovely Othello!**

**And could you all... stop harrassing Sugarswirls? Her story came out before mine, so don't say it didn't. I know I've been mean and saying things about her... but I'm just a bitch, so ignore whatever I say XD**

**I think this chap's pure crap, just because I haven't been in the writing mood... :Sigh: but the next'll be better!**

Silo sat in the dark room, sunlight shining through the barely open blinds, dust particles floating around. He listened to the sound of the old grandfather clock ticking in the back of the room, accompanied by the quiet hum of the air conditioner and tweeting of birds outside. His therapist and doctor both sat before him, behind a cluttered desk littered with various cups of sake.

"Your brat of a father told me what happened yesterday and I'm rather excited to see how it effects you," his doctor, Tsunade, smiled to the child. Her lips were ruby red and her ample breasts almost spilled out of the unbuttoned white blouse she was wearing. Leaning back in her leather chair, she glanced at the cracked open door of her office.

Shizune, Silo's therapist, also showed her excitement through a cheerful upturn of lips. "Of all the therapies our facility could offer you, none of them guarantees more success than family therapy, Silo-kun. We didn't offer it to you before, mainly because you only trusted Sai-kun and Naruto-kun. But now that your old friends are here, we could set you up a family therapy session every week, if you'd like," she offered, sitting her clipboard down.

The crow glanced back and forth between them, knowing that it was a good idea just by the shine in their eyes. Tsunade and Shizune had been like family to him these past few years,since he'd started therapy and he knew he could trust them when it came to his disorder. He nodded and picked at the patch on his red hoodie, plucking out a loose piece of thread.

Tsunade took a sip from one of her many sake cups and smirked. "Good, then we'll bring everyone in for our first session. Sasuke will remain outside because I want to test a little theory of mine," she tapped her blue pen against the tip of her nose. "Shizune, go get them, please."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama," she got up from her seat and opened the door further, peaking her head out into the second floor waiting room, calling everyone in. She quickly scurried back in and straightened the couches, tossing Silo a smile as she sat down on a wooden stool, crossing her legs.

Naruto, Haruka, Majik, and Sai came in, placing themselves around Silo. The teen's father grinned and reached over to ruffle his hair in affection, showing that he did love his son. He wanted Silo to get better as soon as possible. Glad that there were more people to help the crow out, Naruto felt elated and let out a loud, resounding whoop, startling Haruka.

"We have other therapists next door, Gaki, so don't be so loud," Tsunade smirked and crossed her arms on her desk. She sat her pen down and began speaking about the session after Naruto huffed and slid down in his chair. "Now, since this is the first session, we're going to make is short and simple. Straight to the point, as I'd say," she leaned forward. "Shizune is going to bring out Melee. Once she is out, I don't want any of you to do anything, understand? I'm doing a little experiment, so I want everything to go smoothly."

Sai looked at the woman strangely, but trusted her. She wouldn't do anything to harm Silo, since she loved the boy like a son. Sitting back, he watched as Silo blinked at the doctor, wearing an expression that clearly read "you're going to purposely bring her out"?

"Oh, don't give me that look, boy," she laughed at Silo. "Everything will be fine. If my plan backfires, then I'll just inject you with some strong medication," she waved her hand lazily at Shizune. "Start the session, I'll take notes."

"Hai," Shizune smiled and turned to the small group with a cheery smile, despite what was about to happen. "Haruka and Majik, you two have yet to see Melee, so I'll warn you that she can get extremely violent. That's why Tsunade-sama and I have removed every small item from the room except for the things on her desk," she placed her hands on her lap. "Alright, Silo, know that whatever I say is only meant to draw Melee out, not to hurt you in any way."

Silo nodded. He was fidgeting, wondering why they'd kept Sasuke out in the waiting room.

During the middle of the night, Naruto had taken Sasuke into the boys' room and surprised Silo. The poor child had cried, sobbed, and hugged the raven, telling him how much he'd missed him and then there had been what Naruto had called a "mass slumber party". Because when Itachi and Hidan had arrived back home, they had been dragged into the room.

Like Silo, Itachi had been all over Sasuke, but not crying or blubbering, though. He muttered his thanks to whatever god existed and held his younger brother against him, listening to every annoyed grunt and complaint coming from the other Uchiha, soaking in the fact that after nine long years, Sasuke was back.

Shizune coughed into her hand and tucked a lock of short, black hair behind her round ear.

"Silo, think back on the night that Uchiha Sasuke was shot," was the only thing she said and Silo immediately stiffened, his wide eyes focused on the floor by his feet. He fingers dug into the fabric that made up the pillow that was settled on his lap. Everyone in the circle could see that he was having some sort of flashback because of the look in his dark orbs.

Shizune knew it wouldn't be hard to bring out Melee, since the girl already inhabited half of the teen's mind. She saw that Haruka had on a worried expression, looking in the direction of Silo as the boy's breath became a little more forced and heavy. Next to him, Majik seemed very interested, watching his friend intently.

"That day you lost a father figure," she continued. "Not only that, but you saw straight into his eyes, watched them fade as he stumbled and fell to the ground. And what about Naruto-kun? You also saw him break down, and you had never seen him crumble like that before. He was always the support beam for everyone, but then he just collapsed."

Silo openly cried, hot tears rolling down his flushed cheeks and onto his wrists. His wails caused Haruka to grip the arms of his chair tightly and turn away from him, even though he could only see a blur of his friend.

"Now," Shizune added. "Escape that pain the way you always do," she stated simply. Behind her at the desk, Tsunade watched as Silo's shoulders relaxed and his breathing evened out. There was a snort, then he lifted his head and looked at everyone in the room with a raised brow, crossing his legs in a feminine way.

"How'd I get here?" Silo asked, frowning. "I thought I was at Donatello's havin' some smokes."

Majik was amazed, Naruto and Sai just watched the transformation as if it was an every day occurance, and Haruka looked a bit sad, his brows furrowed, lips slack, but downturned.

Silo heaved a loud sigh and glared at everyone. "Are any of you going to answer me? Fuckin' dumbasses," he grumbled, scratching his knee.

Tsunade snorted, finding the situation amusing. Silo narrowed his eyes and stood up, walking toward the woman. "What's so funny?' he snarled and the blonde chuckled, telling Shizune to bring Sasuke in. The therapist nodded and hurried out to the waiting room.

Sasuke wheeled himself in, still in his wheelchair. His legs were still weak and unable to move properly, so Itachi had forced him to stay in the metal contraption. He watched Silo's eyes move to meet his and just like Tsunade had told him earlier, he said the male's name.

"Silo," he called, beckoning the shy crow to come back.

Silo seemed to stand still, his body unmoving, but his eyelids lowered, then quickly fluttered open, his blue orbs soft and innocent. He glanced between his Otosan and Tsunade, smiling. His fingers twitched at his sides.

"Sh-she just left," he stated, amazed. "How long was she out?" he asked, desperately wanting to know.

Tsunade smirked and scribbled something down. "Hmmm, about a minute or two. It seems like the Uchiha is your anchor, meaning he is the only one who can keep your mind intact and Melee's to the side. Just as I thought. "

Naruto frowned from his seat, a little upset that it was Sasuke who was important in the matter, not himself. But because of the circumstances, he didn't let it bother him too much. Standing up, he walked over to Shizune and smiled brightly, bending down to pull her into a hug.

"Thank you, Shizune-neechan!"

"I-I didn't do anything, thank Sasuke," she laughed and patted the man on the back with her frail hands. "He's the one who'll be able to help Silo now."

Majik pouted and stood (along with Haruka), crossing his arms over his chest. "Hey, I wanna be able to help Little Miss, too! How come it's only Sasuke?" he whined, yanking the hood of his shredded jacket up over his head, his messy white and black bangs covering his violet eyes. "Haru-ru and me were the ones who comforted Little Miss that night!"

"Yes, well," Tsunade began, taking the paper off of her clipboard and folding it up, shoving it in her pocket. "His disorder is tied with the Uchiha's death, so it's only natural he'd be healed by him, too. The only thing the rest of you can do is help him along the way," she stood and patted Silo on the head with a fond smile. "The session's over, so now that you know who can help you, I suggest you spend a lot of time with him."

Silo leaned in and whispered. "Actually, it's best that I don't spend too much time with Otosan."

The blonde woman blinked. "What? Why?"

"Because he needs time to be with Dad. On the drive over, Dad talked to me about how he was thinking about going on a date with Sasuke, so... I think I should wait," The crow grinned, reminding Tsunade so much of Naruto.

Laughing a bit, she smirked. "Of course, the gaki's been single for far too long. And here," she handed him a bottle of medicine. "If you're going to wait, use these to help. They're a lot stronger than the other pills you were taking, so make sure you take them right before bed," she stated.

"Thanks, Auntie," he smiled. He'd called her that since his first time meeting her, since she was Jiraiya's older sister. He pocketed the bottle and hugged the older woman, thanking her for helping him.

"Now that this over, let's go to Roy Rogers! I want a bacon cheeseburger!" Naruto stretched and grinned.

Sasuke let himself be pushed out of the room by Sai, glancing up, wondering if the man still loved Naruto. His look earned him a soft smile and kind chocolate eyes, worn down by age and what could only be loneliness. The pale, raven-haired male chuckled and moved Sasuke out into the hall.

"Don't worry, Uchiha, I don't love him anymore. He's all yours."

Sasuke actually let a small grin appear on his usually cocky face as everyone exited the room.

xXxXx

Silo wandered down the entrance hallway of his highschool, glancing to his left, through glass windows, the cafeteria. He'd been searching for Othello for a good half an hour, wanting to tell him the good news, but the crossdresser was nowhere to be found. He pouted and unconsciously ran his fingers over the pocket that held his medicine. Because he was a special case, the school allowed him to carry his meds with him.

A few girls passed by him, smiling and throwing him their cheerful morning greetings, like they did every day before class. Silo was very popular among the students, despite his disorder. Even with his girly appearance, many of the males in the school liked him, which didn't make sense because they all picked on every other girly boy. He'd asked them about that once and their answer was that he was different. He acted just like a guy, not a shy freak.(1)

Starting up the steps, he looked up toward the library on the second floor, immediately spotting one of his classmates trying to unlock the metal doors with a frustrated look on her face. She hissed and pulled her leg back, swiftly moving it forward for a hard kick. The glass windows seemed to shake, but nothing happened with the door.

"Having trouble?" Silo asked, grinned. He trotted up to his friend and took the keys from her, pushing them in easily. The door opened and the girl glared at him.

"I really hate you," she snorted and walked past him, causing the crow to laugh. He waved to her, then spun around, only to run into none other than Othello. The pink-haired boy sputtered and stumbled, hitting the rail that was the only thing keeping students from falling to their untimely deaths. His startled, stormy ocean water blue eyes were outlined with faint orange eyeliner which would look horrible on anyone other than him.

"I was looking everywhere for you," Silo crossed his arms.

Othello rubbed his sore back (which had hit the railing) and snickered. "You almost kill me and that's all you have to say? Birdie, I think you should apologize," he tapped his pointer finger on the tip of his friend's nose and smiled prettily, his lip gloss glistening under the light of the sun shining through the glass roof.

Silo slapped the hand away and dragged Othello to their classroom. "I wish everyone would quit giving me stupid nicknames," he grumbled.

"What has your panties in a bunch?" Othello asked, curious. Silo was a very good friend to him and he hardly ever saw the crow act this way unless he was on the verge of turning into Melee. But he highly doubted that it would happen this early in the morning.

Silo yanked him into their first period class and they both sat, just before the bell rang, and listened as the teacher told them their next art assignment. The raven-haired teen tapped his nails against the hardwood tale, wanting to tell Othello the good news, his foot tapping impatiently against the tiled floor. Across from him, said boy rolled his dark eyes and smiled.

Once the teacher finished talking and began handing out papers, Silo spoke.

"My Otosan's alive," was the first thing that slipped between his lips, startling Othello quite a bit because the pink-haired teen coughed and managed to slam his bare knee against the bottom of the desk. Wincing, he let his lips twitch upward.

"Your dad... the one was...?"

Silo nodded.

"How's he alive? I thought you said he... Didn't you see him die with your own eyes?" Othello asked, confused. He didn't want to bring it up, but if the man really was alive, then it shouldn't be a problem. He ignored the stares of fellow classmates as Silo smiled brightly.

"I thought he died, but... he was just in a coma. But he just recently woke up and he's staying with Dad and I, so..." his smile got brighter. "My therapist and doctor said that him being in my life again will help me get rid of Melee," he stared down at the huge white piece of construction paper in front of him. "I can be normal again..."

Othello smiled and reached across the black table, flicking Silo in the forehead with a fond smile.

"Are you saying being a crossdresser isn't normal, Birdie?" he snickered when his friend pouted.

"I never said that, I--"

"I know, I know," Othello laughed and pinched Silo's nose, earning himself a choked whimper and playful slap across the face. He flashed his pearly whites and grabbed a pencil from the pocket on his short skirt, holding it up and glancing down at the construction paper in front of him, wondering what he should draw. He was tempted to draw a beautiful black bird in a golden cage, but decided against it.

As he thought of various ideas, he watched Silo jumble over his own thoughts, biting his bottom lip cutely.

He smiled to himself and began sketching a black crow soaring through the sky.

_Soon, Birdie will be free from the confines of his own mind. Free like the beautiful bird he is._

While he sketched, Silo decided to start on his own masterpiece; a picture of the scene he remembered the night Sasuke had come back into his life. Of Naruto sleeping beside the raven, unconsciously holding his hand.

**(1)-I used to be a shy freak, so I have the right to say that XD**

**Yeah, it's short and it sucks. The next chap'll be better. :Sweatdrop:**


	32. Keep it Snappy, Keep it Gay

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**I went to Otakon, but forgot to search around for my fans XD I was Itachi on Friday, but on Saturday I had on a pink wig and a red bear hoodie... while carrying, like, two yaoi paddles XD if you saw me... w00t! Also, I plan on opening my own booth at Artist's Alley at Katsucon AND Otakon next year so I can sell my art. Also, if you're a fan, you'll be able to buy copies of my fanfics in book form Just some silly little idea my friend and I came up with as soon as we got back from Otakon. Yeah... it'd be a good way to make cash.**

The large grandfather clock struck twelve while Sakura was offering her friends tea. She'd matured a lot in the last five years and dressed more like an adult than a child, her short pink hair no longer covered with disgusting hairspray. She sat down next to Naruto and handed him a plate of cookies she'd just finished making, also handing a plate to Sasuke, as well. With a bright smile, she began talking, her voice still as loud and cheerful as always.

"I'm so glad that you're not... well, you know," she looked at Sasuke. "And I'm thankful that you can help Silo. I can't wait until Melee's gone, she's such a bitch," she said without pause, crossing her arms. "By the way... where is Silo?"

As Sasuke quietly nibbled on a white chocolate cookie, Naruto replied, grinning behind his cup of tea.

"Why, he's out shopping with the boys!"

Sakura blinked and lowered the pastry from her mouth, almost dropping it on her lap. She pursed her lips together, then they twitched upward and she let out a loud laugh, startling Sasuke a bit, making him break his cookie in half between his teeth. He frowned and chewed, never liking big bites of anything. Glancing over at his two friends and taking in their expressions, he could tell that going shopping was... a very good thing? He didn't understand how, but they knew Silo more than he did and knew what made him better, so he just wiped the thought from his mind.

xXxXx

Majik pressed his palms and right cheek against the glass of Victoria's Secret, eyeing the lingerie and wall of lotions with curious violet orbs. Never in his life had he seen so much... pink. There were a bunch of women inside, looking at the panties and bras in fascination, with their cellphones against their ears, chatting about lunchdates and such. A girl around his age was sorting through a rack of undershirts and as she lifted one from the rack, she spotted Majik and screamed.

The black and white-haired teenager backed away and stumbled over Haruka's foot, falling backward onto Silo, who in turn, tumbled over against Othello. It was a chain reaction that caused the poor crossdresser to slam against the T-Mobile counter in the center of the mall walkway and fall to the hard floor. The boy had been invited to go shopping by Silo, but he'd though his two other friends wouldn't like him tagging along. Strangely enough, Haruka and Majik welcomed him into the group with open arms. Haruka was never one to be jealous and Majik was just... Majik. His motto was "the more people the better! One step closer to finding a potential bed partner, ja?.!"

"Are ya ok?.!" Majik ran to Othello's side and helped him up, carefully. "I didn't mean to, the ugly girl just scared me," he grinned cheekily as Othello smiled lightly and stood, dusting his short skirt off. He ran his fingers through his perfectly straight hair and apologized to the scowling T-Mobile workers.

"It's ok, I'm not hurt."

Silo watched the interaction, thankful that God was being generous to him the past few days. He'd always thought about how the three would get along if they met and his answer was right in front of him. Of course, Haruka wasn't saying much, but that was Haruka; Silo didn't expect him to. Rubbing his sore arm where Majik had slammed his head into, he turned to the partially blind male and smiled.

"Your foot's alright, isn't it?" he asked, looking down at the boy's expensive looking boots. He'd noticed that his friend was wearing a lot of name brand clothing these days, but didn't care much about it. As long as Haruka was still kind and caring, Silo couldn't care less about what he wore.

Haruka nodded and pushed his hands into his coat pockets. It was almost winter and it was starting to get really chilly out, so each one of them had put on a light coat and gloves. Blinking softly and slowly, Haruka swore he could almost see his best friend's face, but then it was gone. Suddenly feeling a hand wrap around his, he glanced down, seeing the outline of Silo's arm reaching to him.

"Come on, we're heading to American Eagle," the crow tugged him along and Haruka could hear Othello and Majik talking about something along the lines of clipping feathers off of birds... He was about to share an opinion with Silo, but the shorter boy beat him to it. "They're cute together, aren't they? Maybe it's one of those love at first sight things like on television," he smiled dreamily. "I've wanted something like that... To fall in love with someone the moment I saw them... But I know it doesn't work like that 99 of the time."

Haruka remained quiet the rest of the way to the outfitters store, only throwing in his two cents every once and a while. He also found his fingers wrapping around Silo's as the entered the store, causing the crow to blush and retract his hand politely. Haruka wished he could see Silo's face, so he could see what he was thinking... He admitted to liking his friend, he had since he was younger, but... he didn't want to take anything further because he was sure Silo didn't want a boyfriend with a handicap. Even though he was going to get his vision back, he still felt like he wasn't good enough for Silo. The boy was perfect to him in every way and it would take a miracle for Haruka to be up to his standards. That's how he honestly felt.

"I'm using my credit card to buy everyone some clothes, so don't bother getting your money out," Silo declared happily.

Othello sighed, pocketing his gift card. He really wanted to use it... It had kitties on it.

"Ya rich or somethin', Little Miss?" Majik asked, raising a brow. He wiggled his gloved fingers in the air, getting the stiffness out of the joints. He watched as Silo's face lit up.

"Not really, but I got a good bit of money from a modeling agency last month. They asked me to be a model in one of their clothing magazines, so I accepted and they gave me $1,000. Then my dad got me a credit card and a bank account and ta-da," he let out what sounded like a cross between a laugh and a giggle. It was decided then and there that that sound was the cutest thing the other three boys had ever heard. "So I'm going to use all of it while we're shopping tonight. Better than Melee using it to buy sex toys..." he coughed and a light pink dusted across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose.

"Oh, is that why you have that box under your--" Othello was cut off with a hard smack to the back of the head. The pink-haired crossdresser loved Silo dearly, but wasn't very fond of the strength he gained from being around Sakura. Over the years, the two had trained at gyms and had gained monsterous strength. So despite Silo's soft looks and girly curves, he was as strong as any muscled or buff man.

"Don't bring that up," Silo hissed dangerously and began searching around for clothes, leaving behind and mumbling Othello and two other stunned males.

"Little Miss is so strong!" Majik crooned loudy, laughing and skipping away to find his own clothes. But after a while, he sort of gave up, not liking the style of the clothes very much. He had his own style, his own image, and that did not include Oxford shirts and bootcut khaki pants. It **did** include, though, hobo gloves, ripped jeans, and funny shaped winter hats.

Haruka had Othello help him out with clothes, since he couldn't really see what was around him. The crossdresser also stated that he was an expert when it came to fashion and what looked good on certain people, so he plucked a bunch of different outfits from their racks and shoved Haruka into a changing room. Silo was a quick shopper, so he as already trying on various clothes; and Majik was busy shrugging on the American Eagle clothes and standing in the display window, pretending to be a plastic model. He managed to scare a bunch of kids, some teenage girls, and two old men.

Othello looked over his work and brushed his hands together, grinning like a maniacal bad guy in a cartoon. He ran his tongue over his glossy bottom lip and reached up to fix Haruka's shoulder-length silver hair, envious of the beautiful color. It was rare, but people were born with natural gray or silver hair. He was jealous that Haruka was one of those people.

"Now, let's go impress Birdie, hmm? You might not be able to see him, but he can see you and you'll take his breath away," he stated with a twirl of his finger, his neon green nails shimmering under the store lights. When he received no reply, he snickered. "I've noticed that you seem to... have a crush on him. You haven't seen him in almost ten years, so why? Did you like him when you were kids?"

Haruka nodded. "I didn't know what I was feeling back then, but once he left... I talked to my father about it and he told me. And not once, in these nine years, has that feeling dimmed."

Smiling widely, Othello patted him on the shoulder kindly. "Childhood crushes can sometimes lead to something more. And you know," he started with a cat-like smile. "Silo talked about you a lot. I think he likes you, too."

Letting his lips twitch upward, Haruka opened the stall door and stepped out. He used to have a seeing eye dog, but the animal had been given to another family a few months ago when the doctor's stated that he was going to gain his sight back. He would've liked to keep the tiny dog, Pakkun, but Iruka was fussy when it came to keeping the house tidy and if the dog wasn't essential, it was going to be given to someone else. They ended up giving the canine to an elderly couple on the other side of the city.

"I would hope he does, but--"

"Haruka-kun, you look so handsome," was what Silo said as soon as Haruka stepped out of the changing room. The silver-haired teen was taken off guard, but smiled politely. He was in dark jeans (Indigo Rustic Wash), had on an AE Cross-Campus shirt that was a perfect color blue, and wore a black and white striped tie that was loose around his neck. He did, indeed, look dashing.

"You do, too," the words came out of Haruka's mouth quickly and Silo blinked, blushed, then started laughing lightly.

"Can you even see what I have on?" the crow smiled.

"..."

"That's what I thought," he giggled. "No need to flatter me--"

"Because he already knows he looks gorgeous. Cocky little punk," Othello piped in, earning him a glare and pout. The cute pout cancelled out the narrowing of eyes, though. The glare only worked for Naruto, basically.

Silo had on a soft pink AE Union shirt with a dark red tie and Dark Tinted Crackle Wash Pants (A/N- Umm, go on the American Eagle website? XD). He was fiddling around with the tie as he spoke, tapping the heel of his left sneaker against the clean floor. Majik leaped out of the display window a few seconds later, laughing like an idiot as he mumbled to himself about scaring that same girl from Victoria's Secret. He blinked when he saw Silo and Haruka, though, bursting out into a huge smile that reminded Silo of a cartoon character. There was a moment of silence before Majik pounced and wrapped his arms around both Silo and Haruka's neck, yanking them down.

"Ya guys look so CUTE!"

Haruka sputtered, effectively punching the loud teen in the gut before his neck could snap off. Majik winced, whined, and let go, falling to his knees on the floor. Silo stood up straight and rubbed his sore neck, frowning down at Majik.

"What was that for?.!"

Majik coughed and stood, his heels making a screeching sound against the floor. He gripped his stomach and pouted.

"I just thought ya two looked cute... Is it my fault your cuteness made me wanna glomp ya?"

Haruka glared and Silo folded his arms over his chest, while Othello sighed and rubbed his temples, groaning about annoying new friends.

He just wanted to go home.

xXxXx

Sasuke lifted himself from his wheelchair, the humming sound of the bathroom background music to his heavy breathing. His arms shook with the weight of his body and he gritted his teeth, his whole frame throbbing. He'd ignored the pain ringing throughout his body all day, but now it was unbearable. It felt as if he was burning under his skin, but he knew it was only an effect of his body getting used to moving normally again. Lowering his cold feet to the tiled ground, he hoisted himself up and grunted as he put all of his weight on his legs.

He'd snuck away from the slumbering Naruto to take a shower, hoping to actually do something himself for once. As much as he loved Naruto showering him with attention, he felt useless. Stumbling into the shower, he stripped himself of his clothes and tossed them on the floor, not caring about folding them. That was when he finally noticed the scar on his chest from the surgery to remove the bullet. It was a small, light-colored mark that was close to his side, shaped almost like a pear, he concluded, pressing his fingers against it.

Closing the curtains and turning on the water, he blinked his eyes and closed them, noting how his legs shook from the weight of his body. He hoped he wouldn't collapse because then that would wake the blond idiot up and he'd have to deal with many shouts of "what did you think you were doing?.!" "stupid teme!" and "fuckin' idiot, get back in your wheelchair!"

He grabbed a washrag and lathered it with soap, running the cloth over his oddly smooth skin. As he showered, he thought about how Naruto had been acting toward him since he'd woken up. There was a small difference between the blond he knew before the shooting and the one that had been sobbing and gripping his shoulders the other night. He felt stupid for hoping that... for hoping that his friend actually felt something for him. But the phrase "ya don't know what ya got 'til it's gone" was nagging at him. He would've liked to have a more literate version of the staying imprinted in his mind, though.

He was drawn out of his thoughts by a loud crash, then a whining curse of "Did you see the teme, Sakura-chan?" come from the hallway. Sakura had come over and stayed the night, saying something about wanting to search through the many bags of clothes she was sure Silo and his friends would bring home. The raven realized that one of the many new obsessions Sakura had now was to either shop with Silo or to go through his new clothes and squeal over how handsome he would look. He admitted that Silo had, indeed, grown into a very attractive young teen.

"Mmm, I think he went into the bathroom," the pink-haired woman replied as her voice drifted from the living room, followed by the wailing of a female in a Korean drama she was watching.

There was a booming clunk, then knocking on the bathroom door. In the shower, Sasuke actually sighed and rolled his eyes, but let a smile slip onto his face. He really enjoyed the attention Naruto gave him, but being the mean duck-butt he was, he decided to play with the dobe a bit, to get a rise out of him. He missed the male lashing out at some of the things he used to say. He then realized that it seemed like just yesterday that he was in the car listening to Naruto sing, but in reality... it'd been nine years and the male had changed and matured.

"Oi, teme! If you wanted to wash up, you should've told me!"

Sasuke snorted and smirked. "Why? So you could grope me, Dobe?"

There was a silence, then a frustrated growl, followed by the sound of something being fished out of a jar. Sasuke then remembered Sakura saying something about a tiny screwdriver being hidden inside the bamboo vase by the bathroom door. Cursing, he pulled back the curtains of the shower after rinsing all of the conditioner out of his hair and reached for the closest towel sitting atop the marble counter, his legs buckling beneath him. He tried to wrap the material around himself, but then the door opened and the mist of the room wafted into the hall, making Naruto's bright blue eyes hazy. The raven crumbled to the floor and he winced painfully as his shoulder slammed against the counter, his hand knocking off a can of shaving cream and Silo's periwinkle hairbrush.

"Shit, are you ok?" Naruto bent down and if he weren't concerned and worried for his friend, his eyes would've been trained on the naked body of said Uchiha. He helped Sasuke up and sat him down on his wheelchair which was scooted up against the toilet, ignoring the other male's nakedness, but not completely. He still had the reflex of looking right between the legs, almost smiling to himself as he did so. "Now what did I say about wheeling your crippled self around the house without me?" he scolded Sasuke, wagging his tan finger back and forth.

Sasuke put the white towel over his lap, a little embarrassed. "I'm not answering. And I can go somewhere alone if I wish to do so, Dobe. I don't need a watch dog."

Naruto scoffed and smiled brightly, grabbing Sasuke's dirty clothes and wheeling him out of the bathroom and back into his own bedroom. He left Sasuke's side to go into his closet and search around for some clothes he believed would fit the younger Uchiha. He'd ended up very frail and skinny while in the coma and it'd be hard to find some fitting clothes for him since Naruto had a muscular and jock-like build.

"Uhhh, you don't mind wearing orange, do you?"

The raven narrowed his eyes, flexing the muscles of his calves as he sat there, trying to train his muscles so his legs wouldn't give out again. "What kind of orange?"

"Um, well, crossing guard orange?" the blond scratched the back of his head and began searching for another shirt. "Nevermind, you wouldn't look good in that color. I think I'll go with black; simple and slimming, even though you're scrawny enough."

Sasuke almost flinched, wondering how Naruto could lower someone's self-esteem without even meaning to. He looked up as the businessman came out with a small black shirt and a pair of red boxers.

"I'd give you some of Silo's pyjamas, but he hates it when others wear his clothes. You know, as he grew up, he began to get like his mother..." he shivered, but laughed nonetheless. "At least he's not an overbearing bitch, though-- Oh, let me help you ut on those clothes!" he just remembered Sasuke had collapsed in the bathroom and probably wouldn't be able to shove on his own clothes. He yanked the top over the raven's head and received a growl in return for his good deed. "Hey, don't growl at me, Teme!"

"I can put my own clothes on. I'm not retarted, idiot, I only have weak muscles," they both smiled at that and while Sasuke let out a breathy chuckle, Naruto broke out into cackles which Sasuke couldn't help but adore. He'd missed his dobe so much.

As if reading his mind, Naruto spoke.

"You know? I really, really missed you..." the blond exclaimed. "I've been doing great without you, but I think I would've done so much better **with** you, especially Silo. And I've been meaning to mention something to you all day, but it's either slipped my mind many times or I just couldn't find the right time to tell you..." he scratched the back of his head, ruffling the golden locks about cutely. Even as old as he was, he had an adorable and childish charm to him, his soft cerulean eyes captivating as he stared at Sasuke. "The day you were shot, you-- well, you told me that you... loved me, right?"

Sasuke actually felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment.

Naruto didn't laugh or grin, he just smiled handsomely and tossed the red boxers onto Sasuke's lap. "Well, after you 'died', I realized that I didn't need to find some pretty girl to be Silo's mother, what I needed was you, but..." he laughed softly, "you were gone and I regretted never noticing those dormant feelings... I hated myself for being so oblivious to your feelings and for not realizing that what I felt for you was more than brotherly love... You know, as they say, 'ya don't know what ya got 'til it's gone'."

Sasuke wanted to cry and laugh at the same time, hearing that his feelings were actually returned and that that same stupid phrase was in the blond's head as well.

"I'm not that great with expressing my feelings, what with me being a guy and all," Naruto joked, running a large hand through his hair, "but I really want to give a relationship a try. I know I'm going about telling you this fast, but... that's just how I am. Hopefully, you're not the kind of guy who expects a romantic and sickeningly sweet decleration of love...?"

Choking on a laugh, the raven let his lips twitch upward.

"Not at all, I find your way of going about things endearing and cute."

"Cute, eh?" Naruto wiggled his brows. "Well, I find everything about you cute, **Teme**," he purred. He was glad he could finally let out some of his inner pervert and he knew Sasuke would enjoy it, since he figured the day they acted out the sex scene all those years ago **did**, indeed, end in a happy ending.

Sasuke held back an uncharacteristic blush and snatched the red boxers from his lap.

"I'm tired, so let's compliment each other tomorrow," he wheeled himself back to the bathroom so he could change, eaving behind a whining Naruto.

The blond turned his whine into a laugh as Sasuke disappeared down the hall, happy that he was finally going to be in a relationship for the first time in almost ten years, with someone he did indeed care about. He plopped down on the bed and tapped his chin in thought, furrowing his golden brows in thought.

"And all those years I said I was straight and that I'd end up with some sweet and pretty woman..." he snickered.

He envisioned Sasuke in his head, the Uchiha bitching about fans while taking a whiz in a local bar's bathroom.

Smiling, he rolled over, waiting for Sasuke to return.

_And look at what happened, I fell in love with someone completely different... Not to mention he has a penis._

As the sounds of the drama Sakura was watching drifted into the room, along with the sound of Sasuke's creaking wheelchair in the bathroom, Naruto felt himself drift off to sleep, oblivious to the sound of the front door opening which was accompanied by a cheerful Majik and Othello.

Even as his body and mind fell asleep, the smile still remained on his face.


	33. Shall I Kiss You in the Rain?

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Forgive me for the long wait:begs for forgiveness: But I do know that my true fans will definitely forgive me:smile: Oh! Oh! If any of you are goin' to Katsucon, in like... :thinks: five to six months, you'll easily be able to spot me :grin: for I will be a female Nazi! I'll have a replica Mauser gun and everything. Seig Heil, mein Fuhrer:salutes: XD :is a dork:**

**Leave lots of reviews so I know you all are still with me:hearts: Every single review leads to the update of this story... for it makes me happy and puts me in a writing mood!**

**This chap is dedicated to DJ, the only man I'd have babies with XD But the story is dedicated to Xa Oppa, the best and sweetest gay guy you will EVER meet. His birthday was August 15th, wish him a happy birthday!**

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY, XA OPPA! I LOVE YOU LOTS!**

Sasuke rolled over in bed, groaning as sunlight lingered over his close eyelids. He lifted a tired arm and covered his eyes, hoping that the annoying molten star would just go away for once. He much preferred the chilly winter mornings to these hot, humid ones. Furrowing his brows, he pulled his hand away and slowly sat up, half expecting to see a hospital room. When he'd woken up after so much time, the first thing he'd seen was the white walls of a hospital and that memory was etched into his mind.

He blinked in surprise, though, when what he saw was a peach-colored room with paintings and framed photos all over the walls, dirty clothes tossed carelessly over a reading chair, the underwear drawer in a mahogany dresser pulled out, a few medical books stacked in there, along with the boxers and socks. The memories of being in Naruto's home flooded back, having seemingly been washed away during his sleep. He looked around more, finally letting his dark eyes fall on the handsome blond who was resting beside him, mouth open, a trail of crusted drool leading down to his jaw.

His lips twitched and he couldn't hold back a smile. Sure, questions such as "why is the dobe sleeping in the same bed as me? I remember sleeping on the couch last night" were rushing through his thoughts, but the fact that Naruto was there, beside him, the same as always... it made him smile. Hell, that would make anyone happy.

He drew his eyes away reluctantly and climbed out of bed, careful of his legs. He stood hesitantly and absorbed the feel of the cool, carpeted floor underneath his feet, wiggling his toes. Walking in circles around the room, he became used to the tingling and twitching of his muscles, wanting to make sure that he wouldn't collapse again.

"Mehhhh, what're ya doin?" Naruto mumbled groggily, rubbing at his eyes and scratching at the dried drool along his jaw. He rolled over so he was completely facing Sasuke and cuddled with one of the pillows Sasuke's head had been resting on that night, slowly blinking his ocean blue eyes. He let a lazy grin appear on his face as he watched the raven stretch and exercise.

"I'm stretching, usuratonkachi, so that I don't collapse again," Sasuke snorted, but it was affectionate.

The blond sat up sluggishly and also stretched, yawning and popping his spine with a cat-like smile plastered on his handsome face. Scratching the back of his head, he pouted, mumbling something about needing to wake up. Naruto seemed to be a childish morning person, a fact Sasuke found adorable.

His thoughts came to a halt, then he remembered that he had called Naruto cute the previous evening. Frowning a bit, he straightened himself and was about to say something, but Naruto cut him off by yelling for Silo to get him his morning coffee.

"Ah, sorry, were you gonna say something?" the businessman asked, grinning sheepishly.

Sasuke shook his head and glanced over at the door when Silo popped in, the giggles of Majik and Othello echoing throughout the hallway as he glared behind him. He smiled to Sasuke and greeted him cheerfully, handing his father a coffee mug. He turned to leave, but stopped to talk to Sasuke.

"Itachi-san wanted you to know that he bought you a bunch of clothes yesterday," the teen's smile never faded, despite the time of day. "I took the liberty of folding them and putting them in their respective drawers in your room," he practically beamed.

"Oh, that's right..." Naruto began, laughing. "He's staying in one of the guest rooms. If I would've remembered that, I would've just dragged him there instead of my bed."

Silo blushed at that and excused himself, walking into the hallway, only to be tackled by Othello, the crossdresser apparently a morning person as well. As the two began fighting on the hall floor, Sasuke arched a fine brow and looked over at the blond, expecting an answer for the behavior.

Naruto waved his hand in a dissmissing manner. "They're like this every time Othello stays the night. They're just full of energy, aren't they?" he laughed and took a sip of his hot coffee and sighed, as if in heaven. "Now, I have something I want to talk to you about."

"...Is it important?" Sasuke asked lightly, skeptical.

Naruto scrunched his nose up and gave the raven as half-ass glare. "Yeah, I'd have to say it's pretty important," he cleared his throat in a very businessman-like manner and leaned forward, staring at the other actor with serious, sharp eyes, like he did while in a meeting. "I'm sure you are aware that we are now in a relationship?"

Sasuke stared right back, wondering where this was going. Though when Naruto said they were in a relationship... it made his heart skip a beat. He nodded.

"WELL," Naruto returned to his normal self, smiling like an idiot and sipping his hot beverage. "I think we should go on a date. Tonight, just you and me, Teme. Oooh, no! Starting in an hour, we'll spend the entire day out!" he seemed pleased with the idea and shot out of bed, running to his closet to grab some clothes. "Go get ready! Man, I only have an hour to plan stuff and get ready!"

Sasuke chuckled and left the room, heading toward the stairs to his current bedroom. He passed by the living room which had Silo and Othello play fighting on the floor, Majik munching on a Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal bar, and Haruka reading through a political magazine. He climbed up the steps and turned the corner, only to hear moaning and the creaking of a bed.

He gritted his teeth and cursed having a room right across from his brother and Hidan. Stepping into his bedroom, he shut the door behind him and went to his dresser, searching through the many new clothes to find black dress pants and a silky black dress shirt. It wasn't colorful, but he knew Naruto wouldn't mind. After all, dark colors were what the raven had always worn.

Shrugging off his bed clothes, he went to the bathroom with the new outfit folded over his right arm, sitting them on the counter as he looked down at all of the bathroom essentials Itachi had bought him, as well. He didn't need to a take a shower, since he had taken one the night before, and opted for brushing his teeth first. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he paused as the bathroom door seemed to push open by itself.

Turning around, he saw nothing there and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He knew it couldn't have been a ghost...

Going back to brushing his teeth, he turned back around to face the mirror and was surprised to find a blood red-colored cat sitting atop the counter, staring at him with strangely golden eyes. It's long, slender body was straight and gave off an aura of cockiness. Sasuke scowled at it. It seemed like his brother in cat form.

"I don't remember seeing you around here," he growled, never having been too fond of cats. "And no one mentioned having a pet cat."

The feline stood on all fours and gracefully moved to the side of the counter so it wasn't in Sasuke's way, plopping back down and fluttering its long tail. It had sharp features, reminding the young Uchiha of a miniature lion, its predatory gaze on him.

He sighed and went back to preparing for his date, all the while watching the cat from the corner of his eye. He never trusted the creatures.

"Otosan? Are you in here?" Silo came into the bedroom slowly, not wanting to walk in on the man naked. He was carrying quite a few bath towels and a blow dryer. He saw Sasuke in the bathroom and went in, smiling to him, then to the cat. "Ah, I see you've met Basil. Isn't he a gorgeous cat? Sakura bought him for me last year. Dad wanted to name him Kyuubi, but I thought he looked more like a Basil. Don't you think so?"

Sasuke glared at the cat. Oh, it definitely looked like a Kyuubi.

"Here, I brought you some bath towels and a blow dryer. It was mine, but you can have it. Hinata-chan did always say my hair looked better when I let it dry itself," Silo placed the different colored towels on the stand that was over the toilet and turned to look at his "father". He blinked and glanced back and forth between him and the feline.

"Why are you glaring at him?"

Sasuke tore his eyes away from Basil. "I'm not fond of cats. And he looks like he wants to--"

"Rape you? I know, that's what everyone else says," Silo laughed prettily. 

".. That's not what I was going to say..." _Is it even possible for a house cat to rape someone?_

Silo just smiled, seemingly cheerful this morning, and headed into the bedroom, picking up the bed clothes. His lips continued to lift higher and higher until he just started laughing and giggling, startling Sasuke and Basil a bit. The crow blushed and shut himself up, tossing Sasuke an embarrassed look.

"Sorry," he apologized breathlessly. "I just... I'm very happy. You and Dad are... together now, aren't you?"

Sasuke realized the reason for the boy's good mood and smirked.

"After more than a decade, yes, we're finally in a relationship--"

"Is that why you're both getting dressed so early?" Silo cut in, eyes almost sparkling. It seemed that not only did he have another personality, but he was also bipolar. "You're going on a date?.? When I was small, all I wanted was for you two to be together because I knew you were meant for each other. Ahh, a child's intuition is stronger than a woman's, I suppose," he laughed.

The raven raised a brow and Basil lowered his head on the counter, opening its large mouth to yawn.

Silo smiled brightly once again. "Well, I'm going to go wash some clothes and make breakfast. I'm guessing... you and Dad aren't going to have any?"

"Ask the dobe, not me," Sasuke shrugged and frowned when he realized that foamy toothpaste was still inside of his mouth. He continued to brush his teeth.

"Alright then. I hope you two have fun on your date!" Silo sung, out of character, even for himself. He was just too cheerful and bubbly, but Sasuke knew it was the side effects of the new medicine Tsunade had given him. He stepped out of the room and tried to ignore the continuous moaning from Itachi and Hidan's bedroom, a blush on his pale cheeks.

Turning back to the sink, Sasuke glanced down at the slumbering cat, spitting the minty toothpaste into the drain. He looked at himself in the mirror and thrummed his fingers against the marble counter, actually a bit excited about the date. He smiled to himself and rinsed off his toothbrush, lying it by the blow dryer, and began to put on his clothes.

xXxXx

"I tell you, this is the best sushi place in Frederick. I found it just a few months ago when I got lost trying to find the entrance to Pier Imports... The Golden Mile's frickin' confusing, if you ask me," Naruto stated with his hands stuffed deep down in his jean pockets. He led Sasuke down the sidewalk, passing a little karate studio where children were working out inside. Stopping in front of a door with an image of a geisha on it, he grinned, opening it and stepping back to let his date in first. "After you, miss," he teased.

Sasuke snorted and stepped inside, letting his eyes roam over every little detail of the small restaurant. It was about the size of Naruto's living room, oriental-looking booths against the mirror walls, Japanese lanterns hanging above them. There was a television in the front, an authentic samurai helmet and mempo sitting atop of it, a Japanese singer on a dark stage being shown on the screen. Sasuke raised a brow as he recognized her as one of his old acquaintances; Eri Nobuchika(1). In the back of the room was the doors that led to the kitchen, then a little bar that you could sit at to watch the chefs cook.

"How cozy," he stated, taking a seat at the booth right next to the television. Naruto moved in across from him and his foxy grin widened.

"Isn't it?" he looked up as the owner of the shop approached them and nodded her head, smiling. "Konnichiwa," he greeted her. "Sake o go-kire to sashimi o kudasai (Five slices of salmon and sashimi, please)."

The woman nodded and smiled kindly to Sasuke, waiting for his order. He furrowed his brows and just answered in English. "I'd like a few eel sushi rolls and some red bean paste ice cream for later," he laced his fingers together as she left to give the orders to her chefs. "Salmon **and** sashimi? Trying to give yourself mercury poison, dobe?" he smirked.

Naruto laughed and leaned back. "Kiss my ass, Uchiha, I happen to have a huge craving for fish at the moment. But what about you, Mr. I-Hate-Sweets? I've never seen you enjoy icecream before," he crossed his arms behind his head. "And now you're ordering it of your own free will? If I were anyone else but me, I would open my big gaping mouth and **GASP**."

Sasuke chuckled and fiddled with the chopsticks that were lying on the maroon cloth in front of him. He glanced up and found himself staring directly into startling blue eyes, and a breathy laugh filled the empty restaurant. He almost frowned, but opted on just thinning his lips and asking the idiot what was so funny.

"Ah, I don't know, you just seem like this is your first date. You're distracted easily by little things and you're avoiding eye contact with me," the blond snickered.

"Actually, this **is** my first date," the youngest Uchiha snorted. "Because I would hardly count having sex with Sanji-sensei in his office a date."

Naruto burst out into peels of laughter, and as the owner of the restaurant approached them with glasses of water, she almost dropped them out of sheer surprise. He swallowed his laughs and apologized, helping her sit the beverages down. She thanked him and went back to get the food, emerging a few moments later with three plates. She sat the two plates of salmon and sashimi down in front of Naruto, and the plate of eel rolls in front of Sasuke.

"I'll bring your sweet ice out once you're done with your meal," then she disappeared behind the curtains of the back room, once again.

"Mmmm, dead fishes," Naruto snapped his chopsticks apart and began eating after mumbling an "itadakimasu", watching Sasuke eat as well. They started a small conversation while chewing, which had turned into a full blown debate, but it was all in good fun. The chefs in the back kept throwing them odd looks, but they could care less, they were enjoying themselves.

It was just like old times.

xXxXx

Sasuke stared up at the darkening clouds as he and Naruto drove down the highway, the rumbling of thunder quiet underneath the loud music that was blaring in the car. So far, the date was perfect... The blond didn't ask for much; not a quiet drive so they could talk about the future, he didn't ask to pay for the bill himself (they split it), and they basically acted like they usually did, which made their relationship all the more special to him. The only difference was that they were now in a relationship that included holding hands, kissing, and sex.

"Don't worry, no stupid rain clouds are going to ruin this date," Naruto grinned and went two lanes over to go down the exit that led back to his home. He smirked and glanced over at his date with simmering eyes once he stopped at a red light. "Soooo, wanna see a movie? I hear Rush Hour 3 was hilarious."

Sasuke turned his face away from the window to stare at Naruto. "I don't mind. I haven't seen a decent movie in ten years, other than my own, of course."

The blond laughed. "Cocky bastard."

He took off down the street once the light changed and made it to the movie theater within ten minutes, parking near the Chipotle. The blond yelled at Sasuke when he reached over to open his door, got out, then opened it for him, a handsome smile on his face. It seemed that as the day got older, his romantic side became more apparent. The raven snorted, but thanked him nonetheless, straightening his black shirt and running his fingers through the back tresses of his hair.

"Who're you trying to impress, Pretty Boy?" Naruto joked. "Your adoring fan girls?"

"Right, because they still remember I exist," Sasuke chuckled.

Naruto made a fish face as they crossed the street, the fountain in the middle of the square gushing crystal clear water. Couples and groups of friends were sitting in random areas, talking on their cell phones and to each other, the ice cream shop to the left (Maggie Moo's) as busy as always. Naruto was tempted to buy himself and Sasuke ice cream, but he didn't want to ruin the dinner they were going to have later that evening. Sure, they had Roppongi earlier, but that was lunch.

"Of course they do, you were one of the best actors in the damn world. I bet if I yelled out your name right in the center of this crowd, a bunch of people would turn this way, gape, then attack you like hungry zombies," he seemed to nod to himself. "Now, me... I got about a few months of fame and recognition, so people have forgotten who I am, but **you**..." he reached over and tapped Sasuke on the forehead, reminding the raven of his brother, "you're a legend. Legends don't die," he smiled. It was almost... breathtaking and Sasuke found himself speechless, his eyes settled on those upturned lips. He didn't even notice he was about to run into the entrance doors to the theater until Naruto yanked him back. "Woah! Watch it!"

Sasuke grumbled a "thank you" and they went into the theater to get their tickets, shuffling past teenagers laughing about a movie they'd just seen. They both knew the other didn't want anything from the concession stand and just handed their tickets to the worker standing right by the video game section, heading toward the theater and going from the artificial lighting to the darkness of the theater.

"Let's sit up at the very top," Naruto grinned when he noticed that there were hardly any people there. Since it was Thursday night, it made sense.

Sasuke nodded and they made there way up to the top and settled down in the center of the row. He sat and crossed his legs, but before he could even blink, he was yanked back out of the comfort of his chair and onto a warm lap, arms wrapping themselves around his stomach. He looked down a bit at the grinning face of his date.

"I thought this might help set the mood," he wiggled his eyebrows(2).

The Uchiha snorted, but only leaned back against the firm chest, feeling what he thought were butterflies in his stomach. He glared at the movie screen as previews began playing, mentally telling himself that he should be ashamed of how he was acting. But after a few minutes, he became comfortable in those arms and they both waited for the movie to begin, a smile on both of their faces.

xXxXx

"Is it weird that that movie made me want to listen to Michael Jackson?" Naruto asked as raindrops began falling from the sky. He cursed inwardly as they got into his car, but then smirked widely as an idea popped in his head. As it began to rain harder, he pulled out of his driving space and began driving toward the road, his home only five minutes away. Beside him Sasuke was talking about a few things he saw wrong with the film, which amused Naruto to no end. The teme was still the same.

"Didn't you think so?"

Naruto glanced over at Sasuke when he realized he'd been talking to him, shooting him an apologetic smile, then turning into his development. He turned onto his street and parked the car in the driveway, not bothering to get out of the car just yet. He faced Sasuke.

"What did you say?"

Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes and just sighed, but in an annoyed way. He was sort up upset that the date was already over... But he'd known it'd have to end sooner or later. There was no such thing as an everlasting date, right? "Nothing," he murmured, reaching out to open the door.

Naruto spoke before he could touch the silver handle. "Hey, the date's not over yet," he cackled evilly as thunder rumbled above them. It added a nice touch, but Sasuke only cocked an eyebrow, not the least bit scared. "Come on, we're going to go play in the rain."

"...You're joking, right?"

"Not at all!" the blond shook his head, golden bangs flinging messily about. "Believe me, it'll be fun... and in a way, romantic," he gave the raven a dopey grin. "Don't be such a wet blanket, Uchiha, have some fun. I promise this'll be better than going in the house and just watching T.V. together."

This time, Sasuke didn't stop himself from rolling his eyes, opening his passenger door and stepping out into the chilly wind and rain. It felt nice, but he knew his clothes would be ruined. He scrunched his nose, feeling as though he really was a wet blanket...

"Fine, but only for a few minutes. You have a job, don't you? You can't afford to get sick," Sasuke kicked off his shoes, along with Naruto, and placed them on the sidewalk.

"Oh, don't worry about me, I can miss one day of work. Hell, I skipped today, didn't I? What's one more day gonna do?"

Sasuke snapped his head to the side and glared at the taller man. The glint in his dark eyes almost made Naruto shiver, but maybe that was because of the wind? "You skipped work to take me on a date?"

"Wh-what? I thought you'd be flattered... You can't honestly say you aren't. Besides, I haven't taken any sick days for the past three years. It's fine," he assured the other male. "Now, let's go play in the street!" he grabbed Sasuke's hand and yanked him onto the empty road, pulling him along as he ran past many similar homes, shadows of people in their living rooms apparent in the lit windows. "Better yet, let's go in the field!" he finally stopped as he made it to a large grassy field, a few rabbits and the neighborhood stray cat, Charlie, out and about.

"We're almost 30 years old, Usuratonkachi, why are we--" Sasuke was cut off when Naruto tackled him to the ground almost violently, the air being knocked out of him for a second. He squirmed on the ground, under the large body, and growled. "What the hell was that?"

The tan male pulled back and smiled, droplets of water dripping from his unruly hair and mixing with the falling rain. The thunder was louder now, but Naruto's voice was carried by the wind, making it all the more beautiful and melodious. "Haven't you seen the movie where the man and woman are lying in the field, kissing in the rain?"

Sasuke frowned. "No. What movie was that?"

"I'm not even sure that's a real movie, I was just trying to be dashing and romantic," Naruto laughed, the sound causing his chest to vibrate against Sasuke's. His large hands were on either side of the smaller man, fingers digging into the cool, damp earth. His head was low down and Sasuke stared at the other's lips as they were upturned in a brilliant smile, wondering if he should lean up and...

"Whaddya ter doin'?" a slurred voice asked from behind them.

Naruto turned his head and blinked, watching as Hidan drunkenly sauntered closer to them, his cheeks flushed, Itachi behind him. The darker Akatsuki member had a black umbrella over his own head, while Hidan had a bright yellow one. The blond groaned and sat up slowly, glaring at both of them.

"I'm trying to having a moment here, what the fuck do you two want?" he asked, annoyed.

Hidan grinned widely and laughed, obviously drunk. He swayed a bit, but Itachi caught him before he fell, making sure he wasn't too rough with his lover. The silver-haired man laughed loudly and obnoxiously in Itachi's arms, causing sasuke to sigh and sit up as well.

"Forgive me, he opened the car door and ran out when he saw you," Itachi said, but both Sasuke and Naruto knew it was an empty apology. "I'll take him home," he tugged Hidan back and practically dragged him effortlessly back to their white car that was by the curb next to the blond's house.

Naruto watched them park and go into the house, groaning loudly and hanging his head.

"What a bunch of shit."

xXxXx

Silo was playing games with Majik when his fathers entered the home, a smile lighting up his face. He paused the game and got up, his controller hitting the floor loudly, startling a slumbering Haruka. Othello only looked up from the lasagna he was eating, a bit of sauce on his pretty face.

"Welcome home!" the crow chirped, slowing his movements when he saw that they were both soaking wet, just like Hidan and Itachi had been when they'd returned from their outing. "Would you like some towels?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Give one to Sasuke-teme, I have to rush up to my room real quick," he looked at the raven. "Ah, I'll see you in a bit!" then he took off, leaving five confused people, one of them soaking wet.

xXxXx

Sasuke was sitting on his bed, drying his hair with the towel Silo had given him downstairs and watching a Steelers football game because nothing else was on(3). He was still angry that Hidan had interrupted what would have eventually turned out into a kiss, but he couldn't blame the man... since he'd been drunk.

There was a knock on his door, then the knob turned and Naruto's smiling face appeared. He had his arms behind his back, as if hiding something, and approached the bed. Wearing a pair of long blue boxers and a fitting, black shirt, he shifted and held out what was behind him; a bouquet of red roses.

The raven stared for a moment, shocked.

"Ya going to take them?" Naruto snickered.

Sasuke took the roses slowly, touching the petals with his pale fingers, but noticed that one of them was fake. He pulled that one out and ran his eyes over it curiously, confused. "Why is this one fake?"

Naruto plopped down on the bed and put on his most dashing smile. He ignored the question and leaned in toward Sasuke, his blue eyes more captivating than ever. "Uchiha Sasuke, I'll love you until the last rose in your bouquet withers away and dies(4)."

Taking on an uncharacteristic blush, Sasuke glanced back down at the fake rose, realizing that... the last rose would **never** fade. He clutched it tightly and chuckled. "It's our first date, moron, how can you say you love me?"

"I can't, I just thought that maybe spewing romantic crap would get me a kiss," the blond grinned handsomely and earned a punch to the arm, but as Sasuke did that, he smiled. "Did I say all the right things to make your heart hammer in your chest?"

Chuckling, Sasuke opened his mouth to call Naruto a name, but was cut off by a pair of warm lips against him. He didn't get a chance to complain before he was pushed back on the bed slowly, but... why would he complain? He let his eyes close and pressed back, enjoying his first, real kiss with the man. It was slow and passionate, unlike the kisses he remembered on their movie set.

"I hope this makes up for the disturbance outside?" Naruto asked, pulling away and pressing his forehead against Sasuke's.

Sasuke smirked.

"Maybe, if you kiss me again."

Naruto laughed and grinned, swooping down for another kiss, his hand knocking the bouquet of crimson roses onto the floor, the fake one still remaining in Sasuke's grasp.

And as they continued to kiss, Sasuke's grasp only became tighter.

**This chapter... is full of DJ-ness XD And Naruto... seems a bit like him ... I swear to god that was an accident.**

**(1)- Eri Nobuchika is a Japanese singer who has a very pretty voice. I really like her song Lights. Check it out! **

**(2)- DJ does this a lot XD and I love it :heart:**

**(3)- I love the Steelers :shifty eyes:**

**(4)- DJ said something similar to this... :grin:**


	34. Watching from the Shadows

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**I know I need to work on KWSC, but... I like this one more XD It's my baby :hearts:**

**If you're for the Rebellion, go "Huzzah! Long live Lelouch Vi Britannia!"**

**I just thought I'd update one more time before school starts.**

**Help me reach 3,000 reviews! XD**

Silo looked back and forth between Haruka and Majik, his baby blue school bag slung over his right shoulder. He made sure his steps matched both of theirs, a pop tart in one of his hands, a good chunk of it between his lips, slowly being nibbled on. The brightness of his blue eyes were a dead giveaway that he was in a very good mood, his cheeks a bit rosy from the chilly morning air. He munched on the rest of his snack and watched a few cars pass by, enjoying the moment of silence.

"Are there any cute girls in your class, Little Miss?" Majik broke that silence with his sudden question, twiddling his thumbs together as if he was having a thumb war with himself. Haruka didn't pay much attention to either of them, quite content with just looking at the scenery.

"Schools here aren't like the ones in Japan," Silo stated. "Mine has a block schedule, so we have four different classes."

Majik whined and threw on a pout that he'd caught from Silo. "Ya mean... we have different teachers each class? And different classmates? Ya serious?"

Laughing, Silo nodded. "It's not so bad. Besides, different classmates means more girls to chose from, right?" that brightened Majik's mood considerably and he grinned like the devil himself, his lips curling up sharply. Beside them, Haruka pursed his lips together.

"You've become a pervert," the silver-haired bishounen commented airily, his voice rich. "Just like your brother."

Snickering, Majik ignored him and only watched as the school got closer and closer, a bunch of cars lined up to turn into the student parking lot. He was so used to just seeing Japanese people, so the different variety of teenagers astounded him. Also, being the extremely friendly person he was, he waved to almost everyone, receiving odd looks and a few occasional waves back from kind-hearted students.

Just the other night, the three teens had been informed that Majik and Haruka would be attending Tuscarora High School with Silo. Haruka had been surprised, but Majik had been delighted, cheering and shouting. He'd gone to school with his friend when they were younger and now he was going to again... Hopefully, it'd bring back good memories and at the same time, create new ones.

Silo lead them up the stairs by the cafeteria and told them they all had art with Mr. Fellows for first block. He'd gotten their schedules from Itachi the previous night, but had just remembered to give it to them. He peaked at them curiously.

"Do we have any classes together other than first block? I didn't check."

Haruka stared down at the blank piece of paper. "I don't really know, I can't see anything."

Silo blushed prettily and took the slip of paper back, apologizing continuously. "I-I'm sorry, let me read it for you. Um, oh! Itachi set it up so we have all the same classes. I'm sure he did, since this definitely can't be a coincidence... And you don't have one of those teachers they give to the, uh, blind students..." he felt bad, rubbing Haruka's problem in his face, but what other way could he really say it?

"Ah, that's good."

"Hey! How come I have every class with ya two except for one!" Majik exclaimed, a bit upset.

Glancing down at his friend's schedule, Silo laughed. "Health Class? Probably because Itachi thought you weren't mature enough for it," he laughed harder at Majik's expression. "Don't worry, you have Biology with Ms. Crowell that period, same class as Othello."

"I guess it's ok then..." Majik just pouted. "Stupid weasel..."

xXxXx

Hidan sneezed at the kitchen table, frowning and swiping at his nose with his long-sleeve sweater. He sniffled and took a sip of his apple juice as Itachi finished up with breakfast, having refused help from his lover. He flipped open the little yellow notebook that was resting in front of him, looking down at the scribbled words and pictures he'd drawn. Well, they were more like chibi doodles.

"Did you decide on where we should have the wedding?" Itachi asked while putting the skillets in the sink and moving their breakfast to the mahogany table. He sat himself down, drowning out the sound of Naruto hollering around in his bedroom because his work ties were missing. Not wanting to get yelled at for not telling the blond that both Majik and Othello had used them to create a large flag in the front yard, he remained quiet and only paid attention to his fiance.

"Wedding... It's more like a little gathering of close friends, isn't it?" Hidan grinned and lifted up the pen by his plate, jotting something down below a jumbled bunch of paragraphs in his notebook. "Here!" he lifted up the notes and shoved them close to the Uchiha's face. "Let's get married here!"

Itachi eyed the paper and gently took it from Hidan, taking out a pair of reading glasses from his pocket and putting them on with the elegance every Uchiha has. He read over what his lover had wrote down and smiled softly. "You want a traditional Japanese ceremony?"

Hidan nodded and snickered. "I wanna see you dolled up and in a summer kimono. That's the only reason."

The raven took off his glasses and pocketed them once again, lifting up his fork to begin eating.

"And a wonderful reason at that," he spoke while cutting up his egg, the yolk spilling onto his plate, over his potatoes. He'd become rather fond of the every day American breakfast, having eggs every morning. "I'll get in contact with Kannagi-san and ask him to send a few of his men right before the ceremony, as a safety precaution," he chewed on his egg thoughtfully. "Orochimaru is still somewhere in Japan, after all. I can't have him ruining this."

Hidan just stared and his lips involuntarily twitched, along with his right eye. "K-Kannagi? That's... a joke, right?" when he received a raised eyebrow in response to his question, he whined, slumping in his chair. "Weasel-san! You can't just call up the leader of the Yakuza and ask to borrow his men! In return, he'll ask you to cut off a finger and give it to him or somethin'!"

Itachi chuckled softly. "Kannagi-san and I are close friends, Hidan, there's nothing to worry about. I believe that you're just afraid of him."

"...He's a creepy guy," Hidan grumbled under his breath and began eating. "And that's sayin' something. I'm usually never afraid of anyone."

Naruto came running down the stairs a moment later, dressed in a black suit with his hair actually tamed. He fiddled with the grey tie around his neck and ran into the kitchen, grabbing a pop tart out of the box Silo had left out. He opened it and began munching, not leaving any time for either of the house guests to bid him a good morning or farewell before he ran back out and toward the front door. Following his path down the stairs was Sasuke, looking a bit frazzled and tired.

"Good morning, Otouto," Itachi greeted his younger sibling. "I assume Naruto-kun is rushing off to work? It must be a high paying job if he has such a nice home," he sipped his tea.

Sasuke responded with a grunt and collapsed on the sofa, staring at the screen as it played the news.

Hidan laughed at him and turned in his chair, chewing on a mouthful of potatoes. "Whas wrong Shasu-shan?" he asked with the food stuffed in one of his cheeks, like a hamster. He only received a half-ass glare.

"I was up all night--"

"Having animalistic sex?" Hidan swallowed his food.

"**No**," Sasuke snarled. "His damn cat thought that it would be funny to pay me a visit during the middle of the night and piss on my bed... while I was sleeping in it."

The silver-haired Akatsuki member laughed loudly, almost choking on his spit, while Itachi just smirked.

"Cats never were too fond of you," Itachi stated, finishing up his breakfast. "And I didn't know that Naruto-kun even had a pet. I haven't spotted it yet."

Sasuke groaned and rolled over on the couch, getting comfortable. "It likes to lurk around in the shadows upstairs, like the demon it is," he growled. "But as I was saying, it decided to piss on my sheets and I was up for hours washing them and scrubbing the mattress."

"That sucks for you, Sasu-chan," Hidan snickered. "The only time I've been pissed on was when Weasel-san and I decided to get really kinky, and--"

"**What the hell is this?.!**" Naruto's yell could be heard from inside the home and Sasuke quickly got up to see what was going on. He opened the front door and peaked out, his mouth falling open a bit as he saw a dark red flag made from many of Naruto's red ties hanging from the nearest telephone pole, fluttering in the wind. There were black ties attached on the front, making a large swastika right in the center for all the neighborhood to see. What with Naruto being a blond-haired, blue-eyed male, Sasuke was sure the neighbors would be convinced he was a nazi once they saw that.

Inside, Itachi finished his tea and sat his cup down. He looked back down at the notebook as Naruto hollered and complained loudly outside, a thoughtful expression on his handsome face.

"Is there anyone else you would like to invite? I was thinking maybe Gaara-kun and his family, they are very loyal to us."

"Hm, sure, as long as his sister doesn't start a fight again."

"Yes, that was quite bad..."

xXxXx

Naruto stepped out of his car and hurried to the Chase building, pushing through the dark doors and running through the lobby so he wouldn't be late. There was a meeting today and if he was late, he'd most likely be fired by a higher-up. Sometimes he would rather work on the phones than be a businessman, but then he wouldn't make enough money to support himself and Silo. And now that he had so many people in the house, he needed that cash.

"Good morning, Naruto, how are you?" a supervisor asked from the doorway of the lounge.

"Ah, pretty good, but I'm in a rush, Noel, gotta go!" he ran past him and turned at the end of the hall, stopping right before the meeting room doors. He straightened his tie and wiped the sweat from his brows, trying to look as professional as possible. Opening the doors, he found the room almost empty, save for his boss and his secretary.

The older gentleman smiled, a twinkle in his dark eyes. "I suppose you didn't get the memo yesterday, Naruto?" he chuckled.

The blond almost flushed in embarrassment. "I-I was out sick yesterday, sir..."

"Oh, sick? What with? If I had known, I would've sent Mary out to give you a card and some chocolates. My wife has a bunch of it in the cellar, you know," the balding man smiled. "That would've been the perfect opportunity to get rid of some of it. I need room down there for an exercise machine I want."

Naruto laughed nervously. "I would've loved chocolate, sir. Um, and I was out with a cold... I guess the air conditioner was on a little too high."

His boss nodded in understanding. "It happens to the best of us, son. Well, since there's no meeting this morning, you can go back to your office and call up Thomas from our partner company in Tennessee. I want you to schedule a meeting with him for sometime next week. Anytime is fine, just not on the weekend, I have a golf tournament to go to."

The blond nodded and with a respectful good-bye, he left the room and went down the hall, heading toward the elevator. With his shoulders slumped, he sighed and hung his head.

"I rushed to work for nothing... I don't even really have to start my job until ten, so I could've just yanked Sasuke into my bed and forced him to cuddle with me," he sighed again, scratching the back of his head, rustling his golden locks. Pressing the 'up' button for the elevator, he stood there and waited, listening to the calm music they played softly in the lobby all the time.

As the door slid open, he stepped in, along with two other people and pressed the button for the sixth floor, letting them pick their floors next. He gazed down the long stretch of hallway, into the crowd that was there coming in for work. But as the doors began to close, he spotted a head of silvery grey hair, tanned skin, and a pair of dark glasses...

His eyes widened a fraction and the image of Kabuto came to mind, his face holding a smile as he'd aimed the gun at his head.

Then the doors shut completely and the figure was gone.

xXxXx

"Can ya believe that those football players asked me to join their team?" Majik grinned happily, his steps bouncy, yet graceful.

"It's called soccer here... and no, I didn't even know you were good at it," Silo thought back to gym class when they'd gone out to the football field to play a game of soccer. The soccer team had been out and decided to play with them and Silo didn't really remember much, but all he knew was that Majik was a pro at the game and even scored about ten goals against the team the real soccer players were on. Then one thing had lead to another and Majik was then invited to join...

It was quite amazing, really, considering the Norwegian boy had just started school three hours beforehand.

"I'm actually stunned," Haruka commented quietly, carrying the two books his teachers had given him. All three of them were on their way home with only a little bit of homework to do, the weather taking a turn for the worse. It was getting really windy and the rain from a hurricane down south was going to hit Frederick soon, something Silo wasn't looking forward to. It was thundering and they still had a mile to walk.

"Yes, be stunned Haru-ru, because for the first time in my life, I'm gonna be more popular than you," his grin widened. "I'll have all the girls and you won't," he stuck out his tongue and laughed, snorting at the end, causing Silo to let out a laugh of his own.

Haruka furrowed his brows, not amused.

A sudden loud crack of lightning sent Silo into Haruka's arms, his squeal echoing around the lush area. Majik just looked up at the clouds and glared, yelling up at them in angry German, apparently knowing the language now. After he finished, he glanced over at his two companions and blinked, finding a blushing Silo extremely adorable.

"It looks like your face is on fire, Little Miss..."

Silo pulled away from Haruka and apologized, smiling nervously and fiddling with the end of his shirt. He couldn't look the Hatake child in the eye, too embarrassed. He really wondered if he did really have a crush on his childhood friends.

"It's alright, I didn't mind," Haruka said truthfully, smiling a bit. He blinked his eyes when his vision cleared up, then blurred again. He frowned.

"Is something wrong?" Silo asked, finally able to look Haruka in the face. "Do your eyes hurt?"

"No," The silver-haired teen shook his head, his long locks of hair tumbling over his shoulders. "They just suddenly felt dry," as he pondered over what might've happened, he felt raindrops hit his tan skin.

Majik started running through the rain, yelling back for the others to catch up. Silo took Haruka's hand with a small blush and told him to trust him, that he wouldn't let him trip, then they took off through the falling sheets of rain.

xXxXx

When they got to the house, Majik spotted his brother and Itachi taking down the flag with umbrellas over their heads, Hidan obviously looking a bit mad since he had to come outside in the pouring rain to deal with something his little brother had done. The teen stopped in his tracks when he saw his bright red flag being lowered to the ground.

"Hey, leave that alone! Put it back!"

Itachi turned and found his "son" rushing toward him, soaking wet. The boy glared at him, one that matched his own in ferocity. Raising his eyebrows, the rest of his face staying blank, he finished pulling the flag down and folded it over his arm.

"What were you thinking when you put this up?" Itachi asked, his voice deep. "Were you trying to attract unwanted attention to Naruto-kun? Doing something without thinking of how it would affect others is very childish and idiotic, Majik."

Hidan nodded in agreement, not wanting to join in on the soon-to-be banter between them. Every time Majik did something Itachi didn't like or when Itachi did something Majik didn't like, they would argue and glare and... Hidan wanted nothing to do with it.

"I **did** think about Little Miss's papa when I did it, Mr. Weasel!" he growled, his nicknames taking most of the bite out of his words. "I'm sure many people would be proud to have such a wonderful Aryan in their--"

"This is America, Nazis are not accepted here," Itachi growled back, his voice low and rumbling. It reminded Hidan of a panther on the prowl. "Nor are they accepted anywhere else, so why would you do something so ridiculous? I've tolerated your moronic obsession with Nazis because you're the younger brother of my lover, but I've had enough and--"

Majik smacked him on the forehead and snatched the flag away, running away to the back of the house with a grin on his face. "I win again! Go Germany!

Itachi gritted his teeth and rubbed the skin of his forehead, mumbling curses and turning on his heel, going into the house. Hidan was laughing heartily, following his fiance, motioning for the two other boys to come in.

"Don't worry, he'll come back in soon."

Silo laughed nervously and both he and Haruka started toward the home, but he stopped when he saw something in the corner of his eye. He saw a male with grey hair with his back to him, walking down the sidewalk with a cell phone against his ear. He blinked, not having seen him there earlier...

"Silo? Are you coming in?" Haruka asked, a bit worried.

"O-Oh, right. I'm coming," Silo smiled and jogged up to meet Haruka, the both of them entering the house and shutting the doors with an audible 'click'.

**Next chapter- Haruka shows a side of himself that no one has ever seen before, a death puts Itachi in a new position, and Othello spills his past... but it's only used against him.**


	35. Anything For You

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**School... is effin' killin' me :groans: I'm so sorry that this chap took forever to be put up, but damn, Junior year is the hardest and I've already had about eighteen essays :glares at my teachers:**

**I'm gonna try to update sooner next time, promise! And I cut out Othello's past because, really... there's already so much stuff going on with OC's, so I'm gonna refrain from adding more, unless you guys really want me to.**

**Also, check out my new fic Amaterasu, which'll now be updating monthly :grin: Reviews would be appreciated!**

**Sorry if there's a lot of errors, I didn't have time to go over it.**

Sakura looked up from her task of filing her nails, blowing on them softly as everyone else in the room settled down in the living room. It was quiet, except for the occasional annoyed groans from Naruto's side of the room and the whispers between Majik and Silo, the two boys snickering to each other beside the couch. Hidan was leaning against the wall right next to the kitchen, looking a bit more serious than usual. The pink-haired woman had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and deeply regretted it, definitely not wanting to go through a "meeting" with Itachi. She'd heard from Hidan once that Akatsuki meetings tended to be violent and vulgar.

Itachi came in a moment later, disrupting her thoughts and causing her to fumble with her nail file. The man looked a bit darker than usual, his eyes holding a bitterness that was hardly ever there. She immediately stood up and excused herself, somewhat knowing that she wasn't meant to hear any of this. She apologized to Naruto quickly for not staying and hurried out of the home.

Naruto watched her leave, then focused his attention on Itachi, the older Uchiha standing before them in his Akatsuki cloak, his lips in a thin line and eyes almost burning red. It unerved the blond, so much so that he fidgeted where he sat and almost resorted to biting his bottom lip. And the fact that Hidan looked dead serious wasn't helping much either.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked first, breaking the silence as he shifted on the couch beside Naruto. He seemed as nervous as his boyfriend.

Itachi glanced at his brother, but then ran his eyes over the three children, as well. His eyes lingered on Majik, causing the teenager to feel as if his thoughts were being read, but an unknown warmth flooded through him and he saw a flash of worry in his step-brother's eyes; his father's eyes...

When Itachi finally spoke, his voice was still the same, softened with age, yet still strong and deep.

"The Akatsuki leader was murdered by one of Orochimaru's men earlier this morning," he stated calmly. "And I have been assigned to take his place."

Sasuke's eyes widened a bit and next to Majik and Haruka, Silo stiffened at the name of the snake.

Hidan spoke next. "Weasel-san was supposed to already be the leader, but he resigned from the offer. Now, he doesn't really have a choice. If he doesn't become leader, then there's a good chance that the Akatsuki will be taken down before another is assigned."

"Aniki," Sasuke began. "That means you have to go back to Japan now?"

"We all have to go back. If I have to go, so do you and Naruto-kun, for your safety," Itachi explained, spotting the annoyed look on Naruto's face.

The blond crossed his arms and crinkled his nose. "You mean, right after I get a steady job, I have to move back? And I'm definitely not going to take Silo out of school--"

"Dad, I'll be fine. It's for our safety... so we should go," the crow spoke softly. "I can always go to another school in Tokyo, it's not like I'll have trouble learning the language."

"But--"

"If you remain here, Orochimaru will kill you," Itachi words sliced through both Uzumaki's and Silo looked down at his lap. "He's getting bolder with his tactics and **will** murder you. The slaughtering of my leader is proof enough."

"So pack everything and say good-bye to your friends, we're heading out tomorrow," Hidan pushed himself away from the wall and grinned, a bit less serious now, though his face was still a little stiff. "The quicker we get there, the sooner we can find you a place where he won't find you. And Silo, you'll be going to the same school as Haruka. The same goes for you, Majik. The security there is tight and both Weasel-san and I trust them to keep you safe during the day."

Majik blinked, then smiled widely, as if the whole 'Orochimaru's gonna kill you' thing didn't happen. "I get to go to a private school?.!"

And while the Nazi-loving teen babbled on, Haruka noticed the lack of Silo's participation in the topic and glanced over, seeing a slight blur of his friend. He reached a hand out and touched the top of the boy's head, feeling the jerking of Silo's body at the sudden contact. He smiled to himself and ran his palm down the black hair in a comforting gesture that his father always did to him.

Silo stared into those crimson eyes and felt the nervousness of going back to Japan just disappear. The thoughts of seeing Kabuto outside of his home left his mind and he smiled, his cheeks tinted a light pink as his friend's fingers left the base of his neck. Every time he felt down or nervous, Haruka had always been there to comfort him; When he'd run away from home in a storm of anger and sadness, when he'd thought Sasuke had died, and when he'd shared his secret of Melee... Haruka had been there, holding him tightly.

His eye contact with the other male was cut off when Majik's face popped up between them.

"Come on, Little Miss, Haru-ru, we have to pack for tomorrow!"

"A-ah, right," Silo stood slowly and kept himself from looking at Haruka, his blush still not leaving.

xXxXx

It was around ten at night when Silo finally finished all of his homework and packing, and had settled down on the sofa, grabbing the remote from the coffee table. He yawned and stretched out on the long couch, propping his feet up on one of the stiff arms. On the floor next to him, Majik slept, his mouth hanging open as he mumbled something about girls in his sleep. Silo's bright blue eyes roamed over the words on the television guide, looking for something to watch.

"I guess I'll have to settle for the news," but he wasn't complaining. He was actually quite fond of the news channel, watching it every once in a while to catch up on what was going on in the world. But since Sasuke had arrived, he hadn't really had the chance to, so he decided now would be the best time.

Though when he changed the channel, the first image he saw was of Orochimaru. His heart began hammering in his chest and his fingers tightened around the remote, almost cracking the plastic covering. His eyes were glued to the screen.

_"--named Orochimaru, the owner of a profitable Japanese film industry, has just made millions with a brand new movie that came out last weekend. It's amazing how someone from another country can be just as rich as someone here in America, but they're never shown on television. Now, there's a film that just came out Friday called--"_

Silo drowned the rest of the man's words out, his pupils consuming his eyes in the darkness of the room. His body shook and his lips were tightly pursed together, his heart even louder in his chest, causing him to be in physical pain. But he ignored it, completely numb to everything except for the frightening thoughts in his head.

"Th-they don't know anything about who he really is..." he whispered to himself, his voice quivering. "To them, he only makes movies... they d-don't know he kills people..."

Flashes of the night where Sasuke had collapsed in front of him, blood splattering on his face, came to the teen's mind. He could practically feel the warm liquid trickle down his cheeks and let the remote fall from his grasp, onto the cushion. Gunshots were ringing in his ears and the sound of Naruto yelling to him echoed in the back of his mind.

Standing up, he stumbled and glanced back at his room, the door closed and light on, since Haruka was trying to go over his homework which had been put into brail. Still shaking, he rushed to the front door and opened it, stepping out into the dark night, the sound of the dog in the yard down the street the only noise in the silence of the evening.

He thought back on what Shizune had told him to do in order to block everything out...

And he did just that.

xXxXx

Haruka lifted his head and turned toward the almost closed bedroom door, his hand slipping away from the bumps on his book. He felt suddenly very alone, the presence of Silo gone from the home and the only thing left being the light snores of a few occupants. Othello hadn't stayed the night again, since he had a big test to study for. Standing up from the desk, he felt his hand out and ran his fingers along the wall, following it out into the hallway where he heard Majik's distinct snoring from the living room floor.

"Majik," he whispered softly. The other teen only snorted and licked his lips unconsciously. "Majik, wake up," he felt around for the cusions of the couch, then bent down, placing a hand on his friend's stomach.

The Norwegian's eyes slowly opened and he woke up without yelling for the first time, as if he'd memorized Haruka's touch. "Mmm, Haru-ru?"

"Where's Silo?"

"Nyughh? I dunno. Wasn't he with ya doin' homework?" he groggily asked, wiping at his eyes. "Why?"

"No reason," Haruka didn't want to worry Majik, he knew how much the boy cared about Silo. "I didn't know where he was, but I heard him upstairs. Go back to sleep," he then stood up, listening as Majik mumbled and then fell back asleep almost immediately. Stepping over to the front door, he pulled on one of Naruto's coats and didn't bother with the shoes, opening the door quietly and stepping out.

As he walked out into the grass, his worry for Silo grew while his thoughts on his own safety dimmed. He wasn't used to the new environment and he could very well end up dead while searching for Silo, but he'd risk it all for the crow.

xXxXx

Naruto sighed for the tenth time that night, his head propped up on the desk by a few folders and a book Hinata had let him borrow about a week ago. He'd been called into work around six and had been sitting at his desk doing work for the past four hours or so, bored to death. Fiddling with the buttons of his cellphone, he thought about whether or not he should call Sasuke. The raven was surely asleep in their bed and he didn't want to wake up, but he was just sooooo bored!

"To call or not to call, that is thy questions," he mumbled to himself, scrolling through the contacts on his mobile phone. His thumbed grazed over the call button once it reached Sasuke's name and he bit his lip. This was the only thing he hated about being in a long-term relationship, having to be extremely careful with every little step, so that he wouldn't anger his boyfriend. Though the Uchiha was a grouch most of the time anyway... "Hmm, then it's settled!" he lifted his head and grinned brightly, ink from the newspaper his cheek was resting on imprinted on his face.

Pressing the call button and placing the phone to his ear, he leaned back in his chair and lifted his feet onto the desk, crossing them. When he glanced at the small mirror he had placed in his office, he noticed the ink on his face and rubbed it away with his palm, frowning. The phone kept ringing until Sasuke finally picked up with a grunt.

"Hey babe, ya touching yourself?" Naruto snickered to himself.

On the other end, Sasuke scowled and rolled over in bed, absently scratching at his hip and pressing his cheek further into the soft pillows.

_"You wish, dobe. I was trying to sleep," _he growled, but then snorted in amusement. _"Why are you calling me? Don't you have work to do?"_

Naruto smiled to himself and glanced out his office window, watching the cars drive by on the streets, a few teenagers walking down the sidewalk toward the movie theater. "I was taking a break and decided to call you because I miss you," he purred. He could practically see Sasuke roll his eyes on the other end of the line and he broke out into fits of laughter, which caused the raven to give his own amused laugh.

_"You're an idiot," _Sasuke chuckled and rolled back over on the silky sheets, his eyes focused on the ceiling fan that spun around too slowly for his liking.

"But you love me," Naruto grinned once again. He didxn't know why, but there was something about talking with Sasuke that made him extremely happy and calm. Even when he was with Sunako, he didn't feel as comforted and free. And even though he and his boyfriend weren't really having an in depth conversation, it felt great, as if all of his past pain and trauma were being lifted from his shoulders and heart.

Sasuke smiled too, just a simple twist of his lips. _"As much as I'm embarrassed to admit it, yes, I do..." _there was the sound of a door opening and Itachi's smooth voice could be heard, followed by Hidan's constant cursing in the background.

Naruto raised a brow and pressed the phone closer to his ear, so he could hear what they were saying. He couldn't catch what Itachi was saying, but he could definitely hear Hidan as the man seemed to get closer to the phone.

_"...went downstairs,,, not fuckin' there... Majik's asleep... the floor! Orochimaru... find Silo and Haruka!" _ it was like the phone was breaking up, but Hidan was just being drowned out by Sasuke's rustling on the bed and the thumping of his feet on the floor, followed by the bedroom door slamming.

Naruto didn't even wait for Sasuke to say anything before he shut the phone off and shot up from his seat, knocking over the stack of papers he'd worked on. Rushing out of his office, all he could think about was why Silo had left and why Haruka was gone too. Surely if they were going out somewhere together, they would've told someone. But they had one day left to go to school before they had to return to Japan, so they should've gone to bed early...

_Silo, please be ok..._

xXxXx

Haruka managed to make it to the area where Silo worked, which was a far stretch. He kept blinking, his eyes feeling dry in the constant onslaught of wind, his hands firmly clutching the stop sign to his right. He could hear laughter and voices being carried by the wind, and nothing else. It was all silent except for the strings of chatter that reached his ears as he finally began to stumble forward. He heard no vehicles, absolutely nothing. But he realized that that was how Frederick was at night, especially when neighboring highschools were having football games or small festivals.

Quickly crossing the street, he was careful not to trip on the curb and he reached out to touch the railing of the icecream shop Silo worked at. The voices were closer now and he walked forward, almost tripping over the second curb that was close to the grocery store. He held his arm out and touched the brick wall with his calloused fingertips and he came to a stop when he heard moans and hushed laughter in a thin allyway just beyond the liquor shop that was next to the store.

Stepping in front of it, he came to a halt, his fingertips in front of him, but not touching a wall. His eyes could see nothing, but if he could, then he would've seen Silo with a group of men, his pants down around his ankles as a tattooed man held his wrists above his head and another thrust into him, earning a few grateful moans and whimpers.

Crystal blue eyes turned toward him, but there was no regret on that face, only pleasure. It was only Melee.

One of the men who were watching the show looked at Haruka and smirked, deciding to approach him. The silver-haired teenager could hear the sound of his sneakers on the pavement, the tips of his feet kicking up stones and broken beer bottles left behind. The scent of alcohol was strong and as he continued to hear Silo's wanton moans, he clenched his right fist and snarled, anger suddenly rushing through him like fire. His knuckled connected with the man's collarbone and a sickening crack was heard, startling everyone in the allyway. The guys who were holding Silo immediately went to their friend to help him, while the one who was having sex with the crow stopped his movements and slipped out of the warm body.

"I'll be right back," he smirked to Silo and joined his buddies.

Haruka could hear them all approach and he didn't care how many there were, he was going to get Silo back to normal and take him home.

"Who the fuck do ya think ya are?" one of them sneered. "Punchin' him like that, I'm gonna beat the shit outta ya! What? Do ya know the little slut, huh?"

The teen's anger swelled even more and he felt hatred rising to his throat like bile. His thoughts swirled around those words, around the image of the innocent Silo who didn't want to be that way, who was forced to be that way against his will. The crow didn't deserve any of the things that were happening to him, that had happened to him, and Haruka snapped forward, slamming his fist into one of the other guys' face, sending him to the floor with a broken nose, blood covering his skin. He heard the guy who had been getting intimate with Silo whispering to the crow, saying something about taking him out of the ally through the back entrance, and it was like he just snapped.

He shoved himself through the rest of the standing guys (who then took their injured friends and ran) and wrapped his hands around the last man's throat, shoving his thumbs into the skin. He slammed him into the brick wall and practically growled, his crimson eyes demonic in the moonlight. Beside him, Silo blinked slowly, realization dawning upon him.

"H-Haruka-kun! Stop it!"

But Haruka refused to listen, his ominous eyes staring straight into the shaking man's. He couldn't see anything, but he could feel him there, seem him through the sensation of his fingertips and he snarled.

"No one, absolutely no one, will touch him!"

"Haruka-kun!" Silo yanked on his friend's arms, trying to pull him back, but he wasn't strong enough. He felt his eyes water. "Let go!.!" he practically screamed and Haruka snapped out of it, his fingers loosening and leaving welts and bruises along the man's neck. Said gentleman stared at Haruka in fear and ran off, almost stumbling over himself.

The two stared at each other, even though Haruka could only see the outline of his friend, and Silo smiled lightly, despite his watery eyes.

"I'm sorry I couldn't control myself..." Haruka apologized quickly.

The crow shook his head. "Don't be... and I'm sorry that I can't keep a hold on Melee. How did you even find me? You could've gotten hit by a car or something!" he reached out and took Haruka's hands into his, absorbing the warmth. "You should've just left me... I would've eventually come home..."

Haruka frowned. "I'm not going to let you go out and be taken advantage of by a bunch of vulgar men. The only pig you're allowed to be around is Majik."

Silo laughed cutely and unconsciously gripped his friend's hands a bit harder. "That's mean!" he found himself moving a little closer to the silver-haired male and when he felt Haruka's breath brush against the top of his head, he looked up and blushed, his eyes trained on his handsome face. He felt his heart flutter, but he didn't know why...

"Haruka-kun..."

"Silo!" the head lights of Naruto's car lit up the ally and Silo pulled back with a huge blush covering his face, his eyes shooting down to look at his feet bashfully. "Silo, you're ok!" the blond parked and rolled up his window, stepping out to rush to his son. "What happened?.!"

Silo smiled akwardly. "I saw something and I couldn't hold back Melee..." he whispered. "But Haruka chased after me and I'm fine, Dad."

The blond sighed in relief and hugged the crow, ruffling his hair. "The others are looking for you, so let's call them and let them know you're safe. I'm sure Sasuke's worried," he glanced over at Haruka and grinned. "And thank you for being such a good friend and going after him, Haruka, even at the risk of your own life."

"Anything for him," Haruka smiled a bit.

Silo blushed as Naruto led him to the car and he continued to look down in embarrassment, Haruka following close behind.


	36. Smutty Filler 2 NARUTO and SASUKE style

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Heh, another smutty filler chapter to make up for my slowness in updating. School's a silent killer, lemme tell ya! But I'll probably have a bit more time to update next week cuz there's just a bunch of 4 hour early release days and I have Friday off too.**

**NOW! The NaruxSasu smut you've been waiting for! ... Sorta! XD**

**Towards the middle... I dunno, it seems sooo not like my work XD but whatever, I think it's hott.**

Naruto ran his large hands down slim hips, a huge grin plastered on his young face. His canines glistened as the light of the candle on the nightstand flickered in his direction, his shadow being cast on the wall to his left, thunder crackling outside of his bedroom. Beneath him, Sasuke moaned as those calloused hands rubbed over his clothed inner thighs, blunt nails scraping over the fabric of his jeans, dipping into the rips by the knees. His shirt was rolled up and clumped together just below his ribs, revealing his taught and pale stomach, not to mention the tiny birthmark just above the dip of his right hip.

The blond bent down and sucked at it, finding it cute. He'd said once that it looked like a cloud and Sasuke had hit him, but he could tease him about it while pounding into him and his lover wouldn't say a damn thing except for "harder!" or "deeper!" or maybe the occassional "Oh god, you're so good!", but that was a rare thing to hear. Naruto would have to get Sasuke drunk off his ass in order to hear that.

As he sucked and nipped, Sasuke's flushed skin seemed to become even more pink and his fingers grabbed at golden locks, tugging that head back up to glare into blue eyes. Naruto only smirked and licked his lips, leaning back and pulling his own shirt up and off, tossing it onto the already messy bedroom floor, shifting to unbuckle his brown belt. Sasuke watched, getting more aroused by the second, the inside of boxers wet with precum. He unconsciously spread his legs as Naruto moved off of the bed to pull his baggy pants off, left in only his silky dark blue boxers that complimented his cerulean eyes so well.

Jumping back on the bed, Naruto yanked Sasuke's shirt off with ease and snickered at how funny his hair looked once the task was over with, earning him a chuckle from his boyfriend. Naruto loved how his relationship with Sasuke was so different than with any of the women he'd dated. In bed, they could fool around and have a good time, while with the women, he had to be perfect and a gentleman. Leaning down, he nipped at Sasuke's neck and growled, the feeling sending electric down to the very tips of the Uchiha's toes, the little appendages curling as teeth scraped against the skin.

Sucking hard enough to create a hickey that he knew would last a good few days, Naruto hoisted himself up and flicked Sasuke's nose, smiling kindly. "Mind sitting up so I can rid you of your atrocious shirt?"

Sasuke scrunched his nose at the verbal attack on his shirt, but sat up nonetheless, letting those large hands traces over his ribs, fingers hooking under the material of his top. The blond lifted the shirt from his lover's body and the scent of cologne filled his nose, causing him to groan in desire. He absolutely loved that smell and Sasuke, the little shit, knew it. Growling, he threw the annoying article of clothing onto the floor and began yanking on the raven's jeans, a bit surprised at how easily they slipped off of those perfect hips.

Hearing his lover growl made Sasuke unconsciously moan and he watched Naruto tear off his clothes, immediately going for his snug boxers.

"Naruto..." he swallowed thickly.

Said male moved as fluidly as water and swooped up to claim Sasuke's lips, the motion quick and graceful. Their lips moved together perfectly, the raven's pink lips being rolled between white teeth, canines digging into luscious flesh. Moans were shared between them and when they pulled apart, a thin string of saliva connected them and Sasuke stuck his tongue out, breaking that string. It fell and landed on his heated flesh, causing Naruto to hurriedly yank down his boyfriend's boxers, revealing a blood-filled and very hard erection.

Bending down, Naruto licked up the fallen saliva, trailing his damp lips against the pale skin. He placed hot kisses all over Sasuke's chest and neck, moving up to suck on his chin.

"I haven't had you for a while," he whispered hotly as he pulled down his own boxers, his stiff cock oozing droplets of precum. "I bet you're as tight as a virgin right now."

Sasuke blushed prettily and groaned in anticipation, having missed the sensation of being completely filled. He glanced down at the huge erection that belonged to his one and only and his fingers involuntarily twitched at his sides. Licking his lips, he moved so he could get up onto his knees and he quickly bent over, his hand going around that thick shaft.

Naruto hissed as that warm palm surrounded him. He could tell his Sasuke was horny, because it was rare for him to give blow jobs.

Sasuke brought the head of Naruto's penis to lips and licked at the cum that had oozed out, rolling the substance around on his tongue before swallowing, his charcoal eyes full of lust as they stared straight up into the blond's hazy blue ones. His own cock throbbed and he reached down to wrap his free hand around it, pumping in time with his sucks. A shiver went up his spine as he thought about the view Naruto had, his pink tongue licking at the underside of the thick shaft close to his mouth.

"Fuck, babe" Naruto pushed his hips forward, watching the first two inches of his penis sink into that warm mouth. The raven began bobbing up and down, having learned long ago that his gag reflex was a little... non-existent. "Just like that..."

It'd gone from a moment of love to pure lust and Sasuke wouldn't have preferred it any other way, horny enough to fool around for hours and hours. He moaned around the long cock and sucked harder, pushing down further until his nose was nestled into bright blond curls. The hips kept thrusting and Sasuke didn't stop the motion, finding it highly arousing. The thought of being fucked in the mouth made him throb and his pucker clench unconsciously.

Naruto noticed how Sasuke's skin was overly flushed and how he was thrusting in his hand faster.

"Get on your back," he ordered.

Sasuke pulled his mouth away, giving one final lick before doing as he was told, his legs spread wide and his asshole bared for the world to see. His chest rose and fell with his panting and his nipples were hard and erect, wanting attention from Naruto's soft lips and sharp teeth. He didn't get that desired attention, though, the lips going toward an inner thigh instead.

Naruto sucked on the creamy skin, wanting to leave a mark. His hands ran up from Sasuke's ankles, to his knees and shifted his palm under them, hoisting the slender limbs up over his shoulders. "Cross your legs behind my head," he murmured huskily and the raven did as he was told, crossing his legs and moving his erection closer to the eager blond.

Thinking that his lover was going to suck him off, Sasuke moaned in anticipation, closing his eyes. But instead of that sinful mouth going to his erection, it went to his ass, a tongue sliding in between the two globes. A shiver ran up his spine and he arched his back, always turning into a whimpering whore when his boyfriend tasted him down there.

If Sasuke were an anime character, he'd be one of those whiny, slutty, big-breasted chicks in the hentai videos.

"Ohhhh," Sasuke moved his hand up to his mouth and bit into the flesh of his palm, trying to muffle his loud and embarrassing sounds. Silo and the others were still in the house, so he wanted to keep quiet.

Naruto licked at the pink pucker, nipping at it and sucking, making sure he got it soaked with saliva. "Moan for me," he slapped Sasuke's hand away from his mouth and smirked as the Uchiha whimpered and thrashed on the bed. His tongue pressed through the ring of flesh and he praised whatever deity was up there for giving him such a long tongue. Hell, he was sure Sasuke was thanking the heavens too, considering he was crying "oh god" continuously.

Erection twitching, the blond shoved his slimy appendage into that tight hole and made sure to lick at Sasuke's insides, knowing that his tongue (as long as it was) wouldn't reach his prostate. He knew he was close, though, if his lover's wails were any hint.

Sasuke had his eyes closed, pleasure written all over his face. His was unconsciously rocking his hips slowly, his mouth hanging open slightly as he felt his insides being prodded. He felt the tongue getting closer to the bundle of nerves that'd send him reeling, but it just wasn't long enough.

"Ahhh!.!" he arched his back as a finger joined that tongue and his embarrassment was long gone, the desire to be fucked into the mattress too strong. His bangs fell over his ears, strands stuck to his sweaty skin, his jaw opening and closing as he inhaled, find that finger to be too much. "Naruto!" he hissed in pleasure. "Get your fuckin' tongue out of me and just fuck me!"

The blond snickered and pulled away, licking his lips and giving one firm smack to his lover's ass. "It's been sooo long, Sasuke-chan, what makes you think you can handle my cock if you can't even handle a good rimming?" he laughed when Sasuke's scowled. But the raven quickly shifted and flopped over, scooting his knees up and spreading his legs. He arched his back downward, giving Naruto a good view of his behind and perfect access to that glistening entrance.

Naruto twitched.

"Kinky," he smirked and rubbed his hands over Sasuke's ass, pressing his hips against it as well. "But you know what's even kinkier?"

"What?" Sasuke didn't get an answer right away, but he heard shuffling on the nightstand behind him. Glancing over, he didn't even get a chance to see what was going on before something was placed over his eyes. Frowning, he lowered his head. "A blindfold?"

Naruto positioned himself against the moist entrance and used his hand to guide his erection to it. He pressed the head against the ring of flesh, smearing precum on the skin. "To not know what I'm going to do to you, I'm sure it's arousing, ne?" he began pushing in and kept his hands firmly planted on the raven's slim hips.

Shivering at the thought of being pounded while blind, Sasuke willed himself to relax and bravely slammed back against the blond, quickly impaling himself on the thick and hard shaft. Tossing his head back, he cried out his lover's name, pain and pleasure searing through his insides. He wasn't afraid of the pain of intercourse, he found it hot and arousing. He heard a grunt come from Naruto and knew that he was in for the pounding of a lifetime, his penis dripping in excitement.

"That's how you want it, huh? Fine by me," Naruto muttered and gripped those hips, pulling back until only the head was left inside, then slamming back in, starting a pace that was fast, hard, and ruthless.

Sasuke snapped his head back and practically howled, his mouth open, eyes covered, and cheeks flushed. His body was harshly shoved forward by the powerful thrusts and his vision blurred beneath the cloth as his insides were violated in the most delicious of ways, his entire self quivering. His ears were ringing, but as loud as the sound was, he could still hear the loud sounds of skin slapping against skin.

"Oooo, harder!" he cried desperately, finding it not enough. "Deeper!.!"

Naruto smirked and slipped out, flipping Sasuke onto his side and swiftly lifting the raven's leg up over his right shoulder, thrusting back in before Sasuke even knew the position had changed. It earned him a guttural moan and licked the pale leg near his face, biting into the skin, hard enough to draw specks of blood.

The Uchiha shivered, but his eyes shot wide open underneath the blindfold when that sensitive spot within him was struck so harshly that he saw flashes of light in his vision. He wailed and begged for more like a wanton slut, his hand moving down to stroke himself in time with Naruto's frenzied and perfect thrusts.

The blond suddenly lowered the leg from his shoulder and leaned back against the headboard of the bed, pulling Sasuke onto his lap.

"Fuck yourself, babe," he whispered huskily and bit down roughly on his lover's pale neck. "Good and hard. Use me like you use that vibrator under your bed." Naruto had given him a studded, 10 inch vibrator for Christmas that year, to use when he was away.

Bouncing up and down joyously, Sasuke impaled himself on that thick cock over and over again, his tears of frustration soaking into the blindfold. It felt good, but not as good as being rammed into.

"P-Please, I need more," he pleaded, wrapping his arms around Naruto's neck, wishing he could see the handsome face of his boyfriend. "It's not enough!"

Naruto chuckled, taking pity on the male. He pushed up into that hot body and as Sasuke arched his back and wailed, Naruto threw him down on the mattress, so that half of the raven's body hung off of the bed, then he entered him swiftly, knowing the position would give his lover extreme pleasure since it would give him better access to his prostate.

"O-oh-oh god!" Sasuke dug his fingers into the sheets. The sensation of whatever blood wasn't in his shaft rushing to his head, mixed with the pleasure was enough to cause him to black out. He felt so full and all he wanted was more, was to feel Naruto spill himself inside of him and coat his insides. "Ngh-NGHah! N-Naruto!" he didn't care if the other residents in the home heard him. "Harder! Ughhh, HARDER!"

Growling deeply, Naruto made his thrusts sharper and deeper. "You're so tight, Sasuke," he grunted.

"Ah-ah-ah!.!" Sasuke could feel himself about to come. "S-so close! Fuck, yes!" he moaned loudly, the sound almost like a sob.

Licking his lips and on the verge of coming himself, Naruto reached a hand down and attempted to shove two fingers in that hole, along with his moving cock. He managed to slide his fingers in half way before Sasuke arched his back like a bow and screamed in utter delight.

"Oh god, YESSS! Naruto!.!" cum spurted out of the tip of his cock, and since he was bent over the edge of the bed, white globs reached his neck and face. His body shook in from the powerful orgasm(1), and he was still moaning and whimpering loudly because Naruto's continuous thrusts only prolonged the delicious and heavenly sensations.

The blond grunted loudly as those insides clenched around him and he continued his pace for a few more seconds before gripping those hips harshly and irrupting inside of that searing hot channel. Those insides milked him, sucking him in until there was nothing left.

Sasuke was panting, the blindfold still over his eyes, sweat dripping from his temples and into his messy hair. The muscles in his stomach were still twitching as a pleasurable buzz still remained in the pit of his stomach. The blond reached forward and took the cloth away, black eyes barely open. A bit of cum was on his face and Naruto lifted him up from his position and pulling him into his lap, wrapping his strong arms around a slim waist.

"You're such a good lay," Naruto teased and the raven furrowed his brows slightly, still not wanting to open his eyes any more than they already were. As he shifted, the blond's flaccid penis slipped out from him and he moaned lightly when the semen inside of him oozed out through his ring of flesh and slipped down his inner thighs, dripping onto the mattress and onto Naruto's tan calves.

Sasuke leaned forward and lazily kissed his lover, then completely shut his eyes, resting his forehead between Naruto's neck and shoulder, his breath evening out.

"...love you..." he whispered.

------------

"Oh, Naruto! Yes, right there! Hahahahahaha!.!"

Sasuke's eyes snapped open and he found himself staring at two laughing teenagers and one quiet Haruka in the corner of the room, his arms crossed and eyes closed as if in meditation. He glanced down and noticed the erection clearly visible beneath the sheets of his and Naruto's bed, a blush spreading on his cheeks. Uchiha Sasuke was usually never one to be embarrassed, but... He'd just had a fairly dirty dream about his boyfriend fucking him... and he'd apparently illustrated what was going on through sleep talking.

"I didn't mean to be rude and listen in, Otosan, but..." Silo had pink dusted across his cheeks, but he looked on the verge of laughing with Majik. "You were loud and I couldn't sleep..."

"S-so CLOSE!" Majik moaned as if he was really having sex. "Mmm, harder! Fuck me harder, Naruto!"

Sasuke stared at him for a moment.

And stared.

And stared some more.

Then he snarled and reached back to grab a pillow, slamming it into Majik's face to shut him the hell up. The Norwegian boy fell back and hit his head on the floor, groaning in agony. Silo went to help his friend, asking if he was ok, while Haruka just snorted in amusement in the corner, muttering a "I'm going back to bed" before leaving the bedroom in his flannel pajamas.

"S-stupid Jap," Majik cursed at Sasuke as Silo helped him up and lead him out of the bedroom. As he was pushed forward and out of the door, he stopped and peaked back around the door frame. "You're ugly, I dunno why Little's Miss's papa would wanna have sex with ya, ya troll! Prissy bitch! Manwhore! I hope your dick falls off!" then he was yanked away by a scolding Silo.

Sasuke's brow twitched and he glanced back down at his erection, sighing.

If it was going to be like this every time Naruto had to work late, then he might as well buy himself a blow-up doll or something.

Or a lock for his door.

**(1)- Hmmm, women orgasm, men ejaculate... but orgasm sounded so much better then XD**

**If I made you horny, then I have accomplished my job :gives you all a thumbs up: and please, I don't mind if you go into detail on how it made you feel and what parts made ya hot XD :snickers: ****Now let's try to give me at least 100 reviews for this chap, k? I have, like, 6 chaps in a row where I had over 120 reviews, but then they went down after the long wait... :pouts: If I think my story's not loved, it's sorta hard to have the motivation to update, since I don't type this for myself, I type it for you guys XD**

**NEXT CHAPTER- Itachi uses Sasuke and Naruto as pawns in a little game of his, Sasuke and Naruto talk about the future and what may lie ahead, Silo becomes more like himself once back in the familiar setting of Japan, and someone finds the perfect time to come out of the shadows...**


	37. Back to the Beginning

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**For those of you who haven't read my tooth fairy oneshot yet, know that I'm gonna cosplay as Deep Dive Riku for Katsucon :grin: if any of you are going, then tell me. We're gonna hang out. We are ****GONNA**** hang out XD**

**Also, for that anonymous reviewer who left me a review without leaving an e-mail or name... know that I crack jokes on Nazis because I can, I'm sorry that it makes you uncomfortable, and no, I won't stop. I have the right of free speech and if it bothers you that much, then just don't read my story. And I really don't understand how it could bother you so much when I've said NOTHING bad about Jews.**

**As a last little note, thanks to all of you who reviewed! I got to, like... 84 XD I was close to 100, though, so thank you!**

**And read 'Conversation is for Heterosexuals' by Master of Rebels. It's a really awesome Kingdom Hearts yaoi oneshot that will get rid of that buttsex craving you have. Unless you have a boyfriend to do that for you...**

**Ok, nothing much happens in this chapter... so I guess I lied about what was gonna happen XD but don't worry, it'll happen next chapter, I just wanted to update and not make this chap too long.**

Naruto stared at the planes through the tall glass windows in the airport and sighed, jutting his bottom lip out childishly. He wanted to go back to Japan, but at the same time he didn't. There were so many memories in the far eastern country, but there were also just as many memories in the small city of Frederick. Staring down at the ticket in his hand, he traced his thumb over 'Tokyo' and smiled faintly, wondering if going there really was the best, if he and Silo would really be safe there.

"Quit worrying so much, you'll be fine," Sai smiled fondly and placed a comforting hand on his best friend's shoulder. The rest of the blond's good friends had left a few minutes ago after a long and sad good-bye. Poor Hinata had almost been in tears, but Lee had comforted her like he did with everyone.

"I'm more worried about you," Naruto admitted. "What if Orochimaru goes after all of my friends...? Going after the ones close to his targets, that's what he did with Itachi and Sasuke almost **died**. I don't want anything like that happening to you, too, Sai."

Sai chuckled and pulled the blond into a friendly hug, patting him softly on the back and rustling his already messy golden hair. He was a bit worried for himself too, but as long as Naruto was kept safe, he didn't care what happened to himself. As he hugged the other man, he peered over his shoulder at Sasuke, who was talking with Itachi. His face held a bit of anger as he whispered to his brother, his hands shoved deep in his pockets out of irritation and onnoyance.

"I'll be alright. Just worry about yourself and Silo," Sai pulled back "But if it makes you feel any better, I'll protect the others. And your cat," he added, remembering that the feline was now residing in his home for the time being.

Naruto looked a little skeptical, wondering if Sai could really do anything if he or the others were attacked. But he shrugged, laughing a bit, taking the shorter man on his word. He started up a conversation on keeping in touch with their video phones whenever they could, but then the speakers built into the airport's ceilings cut him off, announcing that the flight to Japan would be leaving soon and that everyone should head through the gate within the next twenty minutes.

Silo and Majik grabbed their little bit of luggage they were allowed to take on the plane, while Haruka lifted his small duffelbag, all three of them a bit quiet. Well, Silo and Haruka were quiet, and Majik was his regular self. He kept babbling on about something in half German and half English. Silo flinched a bit when Majik turned to him and kept asking him questions he didn't understand. He wasn't sure if the teen even knew he was mixing up his languages...?

Haruka grabbed the back of Majik's shirt collar and yanked him towards him, away from the obviously stressed out crow. His crimson eyes narrowed as he looked dead straight at the Norwegian, frightening the smaller teen a bit. "Leave him alone until we get to Japan," his voice held an underlying promise of sweet death.

Majik glared right back, challenging him. "Look at ya, pretending ya can see me," he then suddenly ducked down to the floor, the tight grip Haruka had on his shirt causing the silver-haired male to stumble forward. Majik escaped his friend's clutches and laughed maniacally as he scrambled through the gate to the plane, screaming at the top of his lungs "Germany wins once again!"

Haruka frowned and stood up straight, tugging down on the ends of is white dress shirt. He was a very classy dresser, always wearing the nicest clothes and dressing as if he was already an adult. That was one thing that Silo found attractive and the crow blushed softly, his nervousness disappearing for just a moment as he looked up at Haruka's handsome face. When he looked at him, he felt so safe...

xXxXx

_"Anything for him," Haruka smiled a bit._

xXxXx

Silo blushed hotly and blinked rapidly, placing the palms of his hands against his flaming cheeks. He shook his head a bit, wondering why he was getting flustered over something like that. The other boy had just said it because Silo was one of his best friends... right?

"Majik already got onto the plane, so we might as well get on too," Naruto sighed. "Who knows what kind of havoc that child is causing right now," he turned to Itachi and Hidan. "You need to keep him on a leash."

Sai agreed with an amused smile.

Itachi was cleaning his reading glasses with the bottom of his expensive sweater as he nodded slightly in agreement. "I've tried, but he gnaws through the material, like some sort of rabid beast," he lifted up the glasses for inspection and placed them onto his face, asking his fiance for the magazne he'd just bought in one of the small shops.

Hidan handed it to him happily and turned to poke Sasuke in the cheek, who was standing there with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. His dark eyes were narrowed as they flickered toward his brother's soon-to-be-husband. There was anger and hatred swelling in those orbs and Hidan snickered, patting the raven on the head gently.

"What's wrong, Sasuke-chan? You shouldn't be so angry, you should be comforting your son and lover. After all, they could be headin' toward their deaths."

Sasuke's eyes became hateful slits at Hidan's words.

"I'm only jokin'!" the man laughed loudly and obnoxiously. "But really, what's wrong?"

"Hn," but Sasuke really couldn't deny Hidan any information. He hated admitting it, but he basically saw the man as another brother. He really would be soon, but Sasuke had always had him as an extra shoulder to lean on while growing up. When Itachi was around, Hidan was around; when Sasuke had been picked on, Hidan was there to beat the kid's ass when Itachi refused to resort to violent tactics; and when the incident with Sanji-sensei had happened, the both of them had been there to comfort him and hold him. Hidan filled in the void that had been created by his parents' absence. It was as if Itachi and Hidan were his parents... and the thought really wasn't so bad.

"Are you goin' to tell me?"

Black eyes seemed to melt, their depths becoming even deeper as he turned and watched his blond wave good-bye to Sai.

"The place where we'll be staying..." he began, his voice a bit distant. "Aniki told me we were going to be staying in our old home..."

Hidan's smile fell and beside him, Itachi flipped through his magazine, as if he wasn't listening.

But as Sasuke talked to his fiance, Itachi's eyes became cold and hard behind the lenses of his glasses.

xXxXx

The sun was just setting when they arrived at the airport in Tokyo, ther luggage already in their grasps as they made their way out. Silo kept his gaze down at his feet, as if afraid of seeing Orochimaru or Kabuto as soon as he stepped out of the large building. Once they walked through the doors, wind swept around them and Silo placed a hand gently above his ear, stopping his hair from fluttering into his eyes. He glanced up and his eyes widened as he saw all of the sakura trees in full bloom.

"Ah, it seems as if Orochimaru chose the perfect time to kill Leader. I must thank him the next time I see him," Itachi joked lightly, his face blank. Hidan laughed beside him, glad that his lover could have a small sense of humor about the situation. It was best not to delve into depression or worry, for it could swallow someone up.

Naruto yanked his son toward him gently, slinging his arm over his shoulder. The heat that radiated from his father made Silo move closer, the strong gusts of wind too chilly for his liking. In the corner of his eye, he could see Majik making kissy faces toward the both of them. He pouted, looking exactly like his father when he did that.

"I can tell you're nervous," Naruto looked into his son's eyes as they approached two black cars awaiting them in the parking lot. Each vehicle had a driver dressed in a tan uniform. The style of the clothes drew away Silo's attention because they resembled Kabuto's that night...

A strong hand took a hold of his chin and his face was turned back toward his dad. The blond looked at him worriedly.

"Sasuke and I are going to keep you safe, ok? Don't worry so much, no one's going to get hurt this time," he stated firmly. "You got that?"

Silo nodded and smiled. "Got it."

"Good. Now, go tell your asshole of a 'father' to come here. He's been avoiding me for some reason and he sure as hell isn't getting in that other car. I don't care what kind of prissy princess issues he has going on right now, he's going to sit with is."

The crow nodded slowly and slid in front Hidan and Itachi, going to pace next to Sasuke, the raven stopping in front of one of the cars. The smaller Uchiha regarded him with a small upturn of pink lips. "I'm suspecting that the dobe sent you?" his eyes widened a fraction when frail hands wrapped themselves around his wrists and he was yanked to the other car by his 'son'. "O-Oi."

"You're going to talk about your problems with Dad, alright? He's worried, I can tell. So you're going to sit with us in the car and tell him what's wrong. What kind of boyfriend are you?" he smiled teasingly, definitely in a better mood than before. His fear had been replaced with the strong feeling one got when returning to a familiar place. It was a mix of happiness and nostalgia.

Naruto thanked the driver as he opened the door for him, and slipped inside. The seats were soft and the heat was on, warming the car considerably. As the car jerked a bit, he glanced over and grinned when Sasuke was practically pushed into the automobile by Silo, the younger lad sliding in as well, the seat long enough for all three of them to have a good amount of personal space. Though, it seemed as if Naruto didn't care much for respecting someone's personal bubble, for his face was close to Sasuke's, their noses brushing.

"You've. Been. Avoiding. Me," Naruto got straight to the point, watching Sasuke's pupils become small as the car pulled out of the parking lot and a ray of sunlight scanned over his face. In the streaming light, his irises seemed a dark brown.

Sasuke frowned and leaned back. "I have not."

"Yes, you have," Silo commented more to himself than anyone.

Sasuke's frown deepened and he crossed his arms, really not wanting to talk about it. He coped with things by thinking over them by himself first, then by telling Naruto. That was how it'd been before and that's how it was going to be now. Sure, now that Naruto was his boyfriend, he had the right to know, but...

Naruto didn't have to say anything to get Sasuke to cave in. His stunning eyes spoke for him, those lively blue gems baring the blond's soul for only Sasuke to see. His lover was always so open with him, why shouldn't he be just as open too?

Sighing, Sasuke leaned back, thankful that Silo had turned away from him to pay attention to the beautiful blooming sakura trees they were driving by.

"My brother told me where we're going to be staying until he can find a better place..."

"Really? Where? What place could be so bad to have you so upset?"

Dark eyes flickered up to meet Naruto's.

"My parents' home."

The blond remained quiet, obviously a tad bit confused. He scratched at his elbow through his sleeve unconsciously and scrunched his brows together as if in deep thought, his fingers thrumming against his arm now. "How is that bad...? Actually, now that I think back on it, you've never really mentioned them before. What're they like? Hopefully, they're not as much as a bastard as you," he grinned, but the joyful expression slipped from his face when sasuke didn't retort.

"They'd dead, usuratonkachi. They've been dead for who knows how long, I stopped counting the years after Sanji-sensei died," he admitted, craning his head back so he could stare up at the gray ceiling. "I'd never really thought about them much after I met him, and not even once did they cross my mind after I met you. But now that we're going to be staying there, I don't know if I'll be able to handle it."

A tan arm slithered across the scalp of the raven's head and fingers lovingly carressed his right cheek, putting enough pressure on it to let him know that his boyfriend wanted him closer. He snorted and rolled to the side, molding his body with Naruto's. It was intimate times like those that made him forget everything and he'd found the memories of his old life drifting off as calloused fingers tenderly brushed against the expanse of his neck.

"I'm sorry."

Sasuke closed his eyes and breathed in, wondering why the blond always smelled so sweet. "Don't be, you didn't do anything. But when we get there, make sure I don't space out. When that happens, it probably means I'm having a relapse."

Naruto's eyes widened a bit. "Like.. a relapse as in going back into a coma?.!"

Silo turned his head at that sentence, now worried.

Sasuke scowled, his eyes still closed. "No. I meant that I might fall back into thoughts of the past," he chuckled lightly. "I sound like a cartoon character, what with my talking of dark and painful pasts. But mine wasn't so bad, I just don't want to remember their deaths."

Naruto nodded and continued to run his fingers all over Sasuke's skin, loving the smoothness of it.

"Don't worry, I'll keep your mind off of your parents," he grinned down at his lover, wiggling his eyebrows. "Because your mind will be too hazy with lust and arousal to even think of anyone else but me and my big, thick co--"

"DAD!" Silo screeched, covering his ears. His face was burning hot as he scolded his father, telling him not to use such foul language.

Sasuke, himself, had a tiny dash of pink across his face after the shrewd comment.

xXxXx

A woman sat alone in her large home, going through newspaper documents that were all about Naruto and Sasuke, from the start of their careers to the day Sasuke supposedly died. She tucked a lock of black hair behind a pierced ear and shoved the articles away into a thick, old manilla folder, her glossy nails scraping against the table. Putting the folder into a drawer in the desk beside her, she laced her fingers together and rested her chin on her hands, coal black eyes staring at a picture frame across the room.

It was of Silo when he was only an infant, sucking on a baby blue pacifier and holding a wooden block with the letter 'S' on it. His black hair was just as black and messy back then, but much shorter. Those cerulean eyes seemed to taunt the female and she looked away, shifting so she could get out of her chair. Her high heels clacked loudly against the marble floor and she wrapped her arms around herself, whispering somewhat jumbled together phrases and sentences.

"My baby..." she muttered, her black hair slipping over her shoulders as she lowered her head. She paced back and forth in her dining room, every once and a while glancing up at that same photo, then guiding her gaze to a different picture. It was propped up on the nook, the same child within the frame. Silo looked a little bit older then, holding his arms out to whoever was taking the picture.

She smiled brokenly and reached out to the picture, lifting it up and running her fingers over the child's face.

"Silo, love, Mommy's coming back for you..."

**Ho shit, Silo's Mom! XD Yeah, she seems a bit wacko, but don't worry... she is :snickers: You'll find out that Silo's mental illnesses aren't just appearing from nowhere, they have a source. Mwuahahaha!**


	38. The Game

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Wow, I'm on a roll for updating this story! XD Cuz It's a 3 day weekend and I have absolutely no homework due on Monday! Yes:pumps fist in the air:**

**Konan's not in here because I'd already set up who was in the Akatsuki and I'm not adding another member :sweatdrop:**

Sasuke had his eyes closed, while his head was resting comfortably on Naruto's shoulder. The sound of gravel crunching under the car's tires interrupted his peaceful and blank state of mind, his lashes fluttering upward as he realized they were driving up the stone road that lead to his family estate. His breath unconsciously hitched in his throat and his heart hammered in his ears, his shoulders becoming stiff. Naruto noticed right away and the arm that was around his lover's shoulders shifted, fingers once again brushing across smooth skin.

"I'm here," Naruto whispered.

The raven felt as though he was a small child being comforted by his sweet mother, his body moving closer to Naruto's in order to feel that closeness to the blond that he always craved. He thought of himself as a weak little boy who needed a hand to hold onto in order to be brave... But that was the absolute truth. He needed Naruto by his side in order to live even a minute in his parents' home, or else he would break under the memories that the old house held.

Silo didn't face the two of them, his eyes focused on the landscape. There was a playground in the distance, behind a bunch of old trees that looked like they'd been struck by lightning; there was a lake close by that had dragonflies zooming around it; and there were posts on either side of the gravel road, holding up an old, rusted sign that read 'Uchiha Family Estate'. The crow leaned closer to the window, almost pressing his face up against the glass in order to see the rest of the path that would eventually lead to a home.

As the driver sped up a little, he made a right-hand turn and went down a long road that had Japanese plum trees on both sides, long branches creating a twisting canopy above. The beauty of the area made Silo smile to himself and he wondered how something bad could've happened in a place so gorgeous. Sasuke hadn't even mentioned what'd happened to his parents or why he had such horrible memories of the place...

Finally, light began to flicker through the canopy and Silo shut his sensitive eyes, slowly opening them when he felt the heat leave his face once again. As his irises consumed his pupils, his mouth fell open. No, there wasn't just one home, there were at least forty, all surrounded by tan walls. It looked like a small town.

"Otosan, why are there so many houses?" he asked curiously, looking at all of the homes that rested down hill. He could see them clearly from the steep hill they were on.

Sasuke began to sit up straight and almost started to miss that warmth of Naruto as he did so. "The Uchiha family dates back to the earliest days of Japan. We were samurai, priests, and even lords. My father told me that his ancestors built this estate in order to keep the Uchiha family together, safe from the demons that roamed Japan. He believed that Uchiha blood was too valuable to be spilled"

Naruto blinked. "There were... really demons?"

The raven shrugged lightly. "There's no documentation, so how should I know?" he looked out of the window at the approaching homes. "But it was built a long time ago and the Uchiha family had lived there ever since, up until I was about seven..." he stopped himself when the car came to a stop just in front of the closed gates that led to the estate.

The driver exited the vehicle and pulled open the door on Silo's side, letting all three of them slide out that way. The crow crawled out and stepped back, waiting for Sasuke to exit. Once he did, he walked beside him and his father toward the old, rusty gates. He stared at Sasuke's face, seeing through his coal black eyes how he was struggling with himself.

"I'll bring your luggage in soon, sir," the driver bowed and went back to the car.

"WOAH, this place is huge!" Majik's voice boomed from behind Silo. The crow covered his ears and winced, turning to see Majik standing right behind him, a wondrous look on his face. Haruka, Hidan, and Itachi were approaching, the weasel with his cell phone up to his ear, apparently talking with someone important, judging by his expression.

"It's been a while," Hidan stated with his arms crossed within his civilian clothes. "The last time I was here was when Itachi and I had our first time," he snickered as Itachi frowned. "Oh, don't frown, you know it felt good."

Naruto's brows shot up under his bangs. "Excuse me? Itachi was **bottom**?"

Itachi's face went blank and he just stepped toward the gate, pulling a small silver key from his pocket and placing it in the lock that kept the gates closed. The lock fell to the ground and he tugged the chain loose, throwing it into the grass and pushing the iron bars forward. They creaked loudly and chips of paint fell from them.

"Do not go into any of the houses except for ours," he stated firmly and began walking, glancing over the shoulder as if he knew someone was watching from behind many of the trees near the entrance. His gaze moved back to the path before him, though. The dirt underneath his feet was like sand and with every step he took, particles flew into the air, creating a dusty fog around everyone's legs.

Naruto watched Sasuke's expressions as they continued to walk and he could tell his significant other was on edge and nervous.

Reaching a hand out, he wrapped his fingers around Sasuke's palm and the other male's fingers gripped his as if on instinct.

xXxXx

Candles flickered within the traditional style room, dusty picture frames everywhere that held memories of a happy childhood. Voices bounced around the room, all very different in tones. The shadows of the occupants inside were cast upon the screen doors because of the flames of the candles, Itachi's deep voice cutting off everyone's chatter quickly.

"If I am to be the new leader, then you all must follow the few rules I've set up," he stated while wearing only black dress pants and a white dress shirt. His hair was out of its usual low ponytail and the dark locks cascaded over his shoulders. His hair had grown out over the years, reaching the small of his back. Hidan loved it because near the bottom, it began to get wavy and he loved running his fingers through the twirls.

From the back of the room, a voice spoke up. "What the hell, they couldn't be any more absurd than Pein's old rules," Kisame chuckled while cleaning one of his many guns. Beside him, Tobi smiled stupidly underneath his orange mask.

"Hai! Itachi-san will surely treat us kindly!"

Deidara rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as he leaned against the far wall with Sasori, the both of them looking bored.

Itachi let his eyes flicker over everyone and he smiled a bit, a brief contraction of his pink lips. His friends of so many years were giving as much support to him as they'd given their old leader, which was saying something. The Akatsuki were like a disfunctional family, and to have them all be there for him was a sign to let him know he would be a decent leader. It was rare to see the weasel speaking his doubts, but there was never a moment where Itachi never doubted himself. He'd always believed he only got as far as he did out of luck and help from comrades, not because he was meant for greatness or was destined to stay alive.

Hidan knew that, but he believed everything happened for a reason.

"The first rule is that you must protect Sasuke at all costs," Itachi said slowly, his dark eyes reflecting the light of the dim candles. "I may be a drug dealer and a leader in Japan's Black Market, but family is my top priority, especially since he is the only relative I hold close to me."

Everyone nodded in understanding, not finding the rule absurd or idiotic at all.

"The second rule is that if any of you spot someone belonging to Oto, you will murder them on sight," his voice had turned cold. "Those are the only rules you must follow."

Kakuzu narrowed his bright eyes as he scowled. "What good would that do? It would only piss off Orochimaru."

"I have a plan," Itachi began to explain.

"Do tell," Kakuzu snarled, not in the best of moods. Hidan frowned at him from his spot beside his lover.

The raven ignored the annoyance in his comrade's voice and shifted lightly on the tatami mat, lifting his cup of tea to his lips. The steam rose from the mug like a cloud as he drank. "There's no denying the fact that Oto is on par with, or maybe even stronger than, the Akatsuki. Orochimaru has numbers on his side, but we have strength and intelligence. Don't we?" he lowered the cup and stared at all of the top members.

"I suppose," Sasori spoke up from the back.

Itachi chuckled. "Also, Orochimaru has been a lot bolder these past few years. He's been killing anyone he thinks might have information on us and has even assassinated our former leader. He must think that we're becoming weak."

Kisame scoffed.

"I'm not going to lie, so I'm going to tell you that his movements are indeed hard, and maybe even impossible, to read most of the time. So right now, the plan I have couldn't really be called a plan, but a game," the weasel started once again. "And in this game, I have two key pawns."

Tobi brightened up at the thought of playing a game. "Pawns, Itachi-san?"

"Yes. The things I have planned out can only happen if those pieces move exactly how I want them to," he thrummed his fingers against his cup. "I will be using Naruto-kun and my otouto as those pawns. That is why protecting Sasuke is the number one rule," his eyes darkened. "I'm putting his life at risk, but I trust all of you to keep him safe. If anything happens to him during this game, then I won't hesitate to liquidate all of you."

Deidara smirked. "This game sounds interesting, un. For you to put little Sasuke-chan on the line like that... The plan must ensure victory if played out the right way."

Itachi nodded and stood up slowly, Hidan following his movements with a worried expression. "It's a gauranteed win, but only if it works out the way it's supposed to. One wrong slip-up and both Naruto-kun and Sasuke could be dead. I'll give you details the next time we meet. You're dismissed," he waved his hand lightly and everyone bowed to him before leaving through the screen doors that led to the home's rock garden.

Hidan waved good-bye to everyone before focusing his attention back on his fiance. He almost scowled. "You're actually going to start up this stupid game right before our wedding? I didn't even get the chance to tell them about it before you started spewing your ideas of a 'gauranteed win'," he growled. It was one of the very few times he'd ever been angry with the elder Uchiha.

Itachi frowned. "I don't understand why you're upset."

"I'm upset because you said yourself that the damn snake's moves aren't able to be read! If you can't read them, then how are you supposed to go about your plan, huh? One wrong move and everyone's dead, Itachi! **Everyone**! I swear to Jashin-sama, if everyone dies before our wedding I'm going to--" lips were pressed against his and he was slammed against the wall, the picture frame beside him almost falling to the floor. Fingers were gripping his arms so tightly that he knew there were going to be bruises by morning. But his anger disappeared instantly when those familiar lips were drawn away and dark eyes full of emotion met his. "Weasel-san..."

"Trust me, that's all I ask for," he whispered. "Nothing will happen before then..." he ran the fingers of his left hand over Hidan's cheek, his engagement ring almost shimmering. "I've made sure of that. I won't start any of the operations until after our vows."

Hidan grinned suddenly and brightly. "Promise?"

"Promise."

The silver-haired male shifted his arm and pressed his hand over Itachi's, on his face. "It's been a while since we've gotten into an argument, despite how small it was. I'm still a bit mad... so how about you say you're sorry for hurting my feelings and we have kinky make-up sex on the porch?" he leaned forward and latched his teeth onto his lover's earlobe, drawing out an arousing grunt. "I'll let you tie my wrists to the banisters."

Itachi growled at the mental image and pulled away from Hidan, dragging him out to the porch.

Hidan only grinned wider.

xXxXx

Silo looked around at the guest room he was in, dust clear from all of the furniture since he'd cleaned a little while ago. All of his essential items were sprawled out on the queen size bed and he began to fold up clothes as he listened to hushed murmurs just outside of his room in the rock garden. He couldn't tell whose voices they were, but he didn't really care, as long as they weren't the voice of ghosts who were left behind or something.

He laughed nervously and hung up the rest of his shirts in the spacious closet, now becoming scared of his room. He quickly closed the door and went out into the hallway to find Haruka and Majik's room, no longer comfortable in his. Searching around the many halls, he finally found a white door that had a sign that said "Hitler's Bunker" on it, turning the knob to enter.

"Majik, do you mind if I...?" he stopped himself and blushed hotly at what he saw.

Said Norwegian was straddling Haruka on the large bed, yanking the blind boy's arms behind his back and making a grinding motion against his behind. To Silo, it looked like they were both having dirty, clothed sex, but upon further inspection, the crow saw Haruka's expression of pure loathing.

"M-Majik, get off of him! What're you doing?.!" he ran forward and pulled Majik off, causing him to topple to the floor. "Haruka-kun, are you ok?"

Haruka sat up and turned in Silo's direction, frowning. "That idiot was attempting to use me to fulfill his sick pleasures."

Majik stood and pouted, rubbing his sore tailbone. "I was horny and ya were there, sorry. I can't help it if you're pretty."

Silo sighed, still blushing. He looked away in embarrassment and crossed his arms. "Why can't you just masturbate like a normal teenager?"

"..." Majik let a sly smile spread, reaching from ear to ear. "How 'bout **ya** masturbate for me and let me watch? I think that'd fix my problem with a little bit of wrist work."

If possible, Silo's face became tomato red and he stuttered cutely, not really able to form any words as his friend began laughing loudly and obnoxiously. He grabbed Haruka's wrists and tugged him out of the bedroom, trying to get away from that laughter and embarrassment.

"Ignore him, he's incapable of having an intelligent conversation," Haruka commented, trying to ease his best friend's embarrassment.

Silo smiled lightly as he took the silver-haired teen to his room. "I know... but he doesn't need to be such a pervert," he looked around and heard the whispering again, his fingers becoming tighter around Haruka's wrists. "...Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That whispering," he pulled Haruka to the window and peaked out, not seeing anything but pitch darkness. "I think it might be the ghosts of Otosan's family..."

Haruka chuckled and plopped a hand down on the crow's messy hair. "There's no such thing as ghosts--"

"Oooooh!" the voice came from outside.

Silo leaped away from the glass and stumbled, hiding behind the taller man out of fear. He was never too fond of ghost shows and he sure as hell wasn't fond of spirits in the same house he was staying in. He was still clutching the other boy's wrists, but his hand had shifted downward to lace his fingers with five more.

"It is a ghost," he whispered quietly.

"No, it's not."

"But--"

"Ooooh! Itachi! YES!"

There was a silence.

"Harder! Oh yeah, right there!"

Silo once again blushed a bright red and Haruka's cheeks seemed to becoming a light pink as well, his lips twisting into a frown. He couldn't understand why everyone around him were such horn dogs. He sighed and asked Silo to help lead him out of the room since he wasn't familiar with the settings. The shorter boy did as he was told and they went into the hall, shutting the door behind them.

"I would think Itachi would have a bit more self control than that. Having sex right outside of your room, how vulgar."

Silo smiled. "Thanks for caring... but it's fine. I'm used to perverted things, thanks to my dad," he pouted. "I mean, he and Otosan haven't done anything yet, but do you know how many porno tapes he's made me watch?" he blushed again. "When I turned thirteen, he used to force me to watch them so I could turn into what he called a perfectly healthy teenage boy..."

Haruka actually laughed at that. "I think you're perfect the way you are."

"... You think so?" Silo heart began beating wildly and he didn't know why. Sure, he liked Haruka, but did he like him **that** way...? "I don't think I'm all that great looking..."

"I'm talking about your personality, Silo," the way Haruka said his name made a tingle go up the crow's spine. He'd never paid attention before, but Haruka's voice was very deep and it almost rumbled like thunder. "Because I can't really see your face or your body. But I'm sure they're perfect, as well."

And those few words had Silo reeling, his body moving on its own accord. He felt as if Melee was taking over his body because he would never do something so bold as to just move up and kiss his best friend. But as his lips just barely brushed against Haruka's, he heard his father's voice and his eyes (which had been closed) flew open.

"Si-- What're you doing?" Naruto asked as he peaked around the hall. He blinked in confusion, then smiled like a fox. "Oh, I see."

Silo blushed and flung himself away from Haruka, wondering what had happened. He glanced up shyly and saw the shocked look on his best friend's face, those cloudy eyes reflecting a bit of the same confusion Silo held. His eyes watered, not because he regretted it, but because he didn't know who was attracted to Haruka...

Him or Melee.

xXxXx

"You know what I saw in the hallway before dinner?" Naruto plopped down on the bed he and Sasuke shared. There were paintings everywhere, most of them of people the blond didn't recognize. It sort of creeped him out to have so many eyes on him. What if he and Sasuke decided to have their first time in that room? Then he'd feel like an exhibitionist.

Sasuke glanced up from the book he was reading. He'd been quiet most of the day and he'd always kept his eyes on things such as books, magazines, or Naruto. But mostly Naruto. He didn't want to focus on paintings or family photos. He'd asked Itachi to take the ones in the bedroom down, but he hadn't yet.

"What?" the raven shut his book and looked down at his boyfriend who was lying beside him with a silly grin on his matured face.

"I saw our little boy about to kiss Haruka! On the lips, Sasuke, that's a huge leap for him! He's usually too shy to even shake hands with someone!" Naruto laid his head on Sasuke's lap and looked up at his beautiful face through golden bangs. "Unfortunately... I interrupted them before it got good, so... yeah..."

"They were about to kiss?" Sasuke's brows were raised in curiosity. "I knew that Silo might've liked him, but... Don't you think he'll become confused and upset?"

Naruto blinked. "What?"

"I'm talking about Silo. After that, don't you'll think he'll be confused about how he truly feels? There's two minds in his head, Naruto, he might be confused as to which one is giving him those feelings and thoughts."

The blond smiled and sat up, getting comfortable while leaning against his lover.

"I think you're confused," he ignored the glare that was being thrown at him. "He might have two minds right now, but he has only one heart. Love comes from the heart, Sasuke, and the one heart in my son's chest belongs solely to him," his smile got wider. "I'm sure you didn't want to fall in love with me. Your brain was saying 'no, he's an idiot!', but your heart was telling you to be with me, right?"

Sasuke frowned, but nodded. "I think following my heart was the biggest mistake I ever made."

Naruto growled and threw his lover's book onto the floor, tackling the smaller man onto the mattress. He kissed him and sucked on his lower lip, drawing out a hushed moan. He adored the sounds the Uchiha made.

"Asshole," he whispered fondly and smiled, rolling over and keeping Sasuke at his side. He reached over and yanked on the chain that would turn the antique lamp off, darkness flooding the large room. As he shifted, he wrapped his arms around Sasuke's waist and nuzzled the raven's cheek like a cat. "Now get to sleep, we have decorating to do in the morning. You know how we fags love curtains and cute, fluffy pillows."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but did as he was told and tried to fall asleep.

And it wasn't hard, since listening to his boyfriend's heartbeat and breathing was the best lullaby he could ever hear.

**Awwww, how cute. Now, leave reviews and I'll try to update just as fast again!**


	39. A Little White Lie

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**This is sorta like a filler chapter... except without the shit load of smut XD**

**Consider this my Halloween gift to you all, since I was having trouble with the Halloween fic I wanted to write :sweatdrop: I'll put it up when I'm done, though.**

**This is me in my half-finished Deep Dive Riku cosplay. I still need the wig, the gloves, and the keyblade. YOSH!**

**http // i52 . photobucket . com / albums / g15 / VanityWantsYou / untitled . jpg **

**http // i52 . photobucket . com / albums / g15 / VanityWantsYou / IMG 3250 . jpg**

**remember to delete the spaces!**

**Also, thank you for all the reviews. Some people say I've gotten too original with the story, but I don't think that's all that bad, considering original is better than it being like everyone else's story. The characters I've developed need time to grow as well.**

Staring down at his bowl of oatmeal, Silo quietly played with his spoon, not the least bit hungry. His hair was a complete mess, clean locks flung everywhere as if he'd just got up from bed, his eyelids only lifted half way as he poked his eating utensil into the oatmeal, as if checking to see if it was alive. He wasn't going to lie, Sasuke didn't know how to cook very well.

"Good mornin', Little Miss!" Majik greeted his good friend with a cheerful smile and bright eyes. "Do ya know what today is?" he plopped down on one of the wooden chairs and took Silo's bowl from him, not even asking if he could have it. Putting a good bit in his mouth, he chewed and swallowed happily.

The crow flinched as he watched the lump of oatmeal go down Majik's throat. "No, why? Is something special going on?"

Majik looked at him as if he were the weirdest person alive, his hand stilling in mid-air. There was an akward silence between them, but a loud snore from Sasuke and Naruto's bedroom right down the hall broke the quiet atmosphere, making the Norwegian grin.

"Why, it happens to be Haru-ru's birthday at exactly 4:57 this afternoon. Didn't ya know? I thought ya two were best friends," he tapped his spoon on the side of the bowl, waiting for a reaction.

"... What?.! It's his birthday?.!" Silo's eyes widened considerably and he unconsciously clutched the materials of his pants under the table. The memory of the previous night flashed across his eyes and he looked down at the tablecloth, a light blush spreading across his smooth cheeks. "How come he didn't tell me...?"

Majik shrugged and went back to munching on the burnt oatmeal, enjoying it too much. "He never celebrates his birthday. 'Says that there's no point and he doesn't like people gettin' him gifts. I guess ya wouldn't know since ya went back to the US of A before he turned nine."

Silo bit his bottom lip and glanced down the hall, like he expected the silver-haired teenager to just saunter in on queue. He felt hurt because his supposed best friend hadn't told him it was his birthday, but he felt more guilty for never really asking. What made the situation worse was that he had no clue what to get him. He hadn't seen Haruka in years and he wasn't sure he remembered too much about him. Even if he did, that didn't mean he still liked the same things.

"Put on some lingerie and cat ears and that should make 'im happy," Majik commented, completely serious about the idea. He finished up his breakfast and got up to put the bowl in the sink, filling it with water from the faucet. "Somethin' revealing so he can feel the shape of your body."

The smaller Uzumaki's face turned beat red and he stood up, excusing himself to his bedroom. He quickly scampered down the hall, almost bumping into Hidan and Itachi who emerged from their bedroom looking as if they'd been attacked by vicious forest creatures. Hidan grumbled a 'good morning' as Silo rushed by, about six hickeys on his revealed neck.

Silo didn't pay attention to them, though, as he made it to his momentary bedroom. He leapt in and quietly shut the door, rooting around in his duffel bag for his wallet. He needed to get something for Haruka by 4 o' clock or else he'd feel like the scum of the earth for not getting a present for his best friend's birthday. While he was searching, his cell phone suddenly went off and he twitched in surprise, reaching an arm out to grab it from the nightstand.

Putting it to his ear, he answered:

"Uzumaki Silo speaking."

_"Where are you? I came to your house to pick you up for school and the whole place was cleaned out!"_

"O-Othello!" he'd completely forgot about telling his friend he'd be going back to Japan. Falling back on his bed, he sighed, feeling even worse than he did two minutes ago. "I'm sorry... I forgot to tell you that there was... an emergency."

_"An emergency? Are you ok? What happened?" _ the pink-haired student sounded so worried and concerned, which made Silo feel even more guilty. Not one time in his life had he ever felt like such a horrible person. _"Are you at the hospital?"_

"No, we're not at the hospital... But do you remember when I told you about Orochimaru and my Otosan?" he received a positive reply and continued, hoping his friend wouldn't react too badly. "Well, he's sort of coming after us and... we had to rush back to Japan and stay in my Otosan's old estate. I'm really sorry I didn't call you, Othello, I had so many thoughts on my mind that I forgot! I just got really worried, and scared, and--"

_"Calm down, I'm not mad. Your safety comes first, right? Not everyone has an excuse as good as yours, Birdie."_

The crow laughed and cradled the phone against his ear with one hand, using the other to search around for his wallet once more. He told Othello about all that was happening, while yanking his leather wallet from the confines of his traveling bag, opening it to find two one hundred dollar bills. He puffed his cheeks out, wondering if that would be enough since he had to compensate for nine years of not giving Haruka birthday presents.

_"So I guess I won't be seeing you for a while,"_ Othello sighed. _"And I was going to invite you to see that new action flick that's coming out this weekend. Oh well, I'll take Anthoney, since I doubt he has anything better to do than talk to his D&D buddies online."_

Silo laughed cutely and climbed off of his bed, grabbing the outfit he'd had already picked out for today that was sitting on the dresser near the window. He looked at his reflection in the mirror as Othello kept talking about the commercials for the movie he wanted to see. Not meaning to, he reached out and touched the reflection of his face, his fingers covering his left eye, one crystal blue orb peaking out from under shaggy bangs.

He wondered if Haruka could ever like him if only half of himself was really him...

_"Birdie? You there? I said I have to go because I'm almost at school. I'll talk to you tomorrow, ok?"_

Silo blinked and removed his hand, wondering where that thought had come from. But he smiled a bit when he realized that it was his mind that had thought it, not Melee's. "A-alright. Talk to you then... Oh, and tell everyone I said hi. Make up an excuse for me, but don't tell them the truth about why I'm not there."

_"Will do. Ciao."_

"Bye," Silo shut his phone and shoved it into his pants' pocket as he tugged them on, getting ready to run out to the store. He stopped his movements, though, when he remembered it wasn't safe to go out by himself. He sighed inwardly and weighed his options. He could go with either Majik, Hidan, or Itachi. He knew his dad and Otosan wanted to spend some time alone together, so he didn't bother including them. But he couldn't really choose Majik either, since he needed someone from the Akatsuki to go with him for protection purposes.

Tugging on his black and red striped hoodie, he quickly slipped on his sneakers and ruffled his hair, the locks seemingly falling into place. He tucked away his wallet and hurried out of his room, not wanting to get caught by a still slumbering Haruka. As he walked past the kitchen, he saw that his dad and Otosan were washing and drying dishes together, Naruto laughing and flicking soap suds at the smirking raven.

He smiled.

"Dad? Otosan? Do you know where Itachi and Hidan went? I have to go to the store and I need one of them to go with me."

Naruto turned, a glob of bubbles on his left cheek. Sasuke wiped it away with the dish towel and looked at Silo with soap on his face and in his tidy hair, too. "They just left to go see Deidara and Sasori, they should be back in about three hours."

Silo bit his bottom lip and glanced at the clock which read 10:23 a.m.

"I don't have the time... Do you think just me and Majik could go? We'll be careful, I promise. There's a mall not that far away, right? It's down the street a little once you leave the estate."

Naruto furrowed his brows, not sure if he should agree or not. It's not like Silo just had to go down the street with a small chance of getting attacked by a random murderer. No, he was dealing with Orochimaru, a lead member of the Japanese Black Market and a man that was out to get his hands on anyone who tied in with the Akatsuki in any way.

"He'll be fine," Sasuke suddenly said, drying a glass plate. "Itachi said he was sure that Orochimaru's in Kyoto right now. There's supposedly this big drug transaction going on there the next few days, so he won't be a problem."

"But what about his men?"

Sasuke snorted. "They're all either with him or at the company. He won't risk them being out and about when the Akatsuki could attack their base while everyone's gone."

The blond scrunched his nose up. "You've been in a coma for the past nine to ten years, Teme, how do you know so much?"

"Late night cram sessions," he frowned, sarcastic. "Itachi told me, of course. He's not going to keep me in the dark."

Silo smiled brightly. "So does that mean we can go by ourselves?"

Naruto sighed and scratched the back of his head, not caring that he got water in his hair. "Sure, but be careful. If anything happens to you I'll have to castrate your Otosan," beside him, Sasuke scowled.

The crow nodded furiously.

xXxXx

"I thought she was nice and all, but she was too good-looking for me," Majik finally ended his story about the middle school student who'd thought he was the sexiest things on two legs. The teen had his hands tucked away in his pockets, his thumb rolling over a small box of milk duds, headphones around his neck that were blaring Norwegian folk rock. Honestly, Majik was indeed a very attractive boy who had men and women swooning after him, but he never seemed to notice his own good looks.

Silo looked at the passing cars, having not really paid much attention to the story. He'd found out long ago that listening to Majik all of the time made you slightly crazy and unsure if the voices you heard were from people around you or in your head.

"You listenin' to me, Little Miss?" Majik flicked Silo's forehead, frowning.

Slapping the hand away, Silo pouted. "I'm trying to figure out what to get for Haruka. Majik, what does he like?" he practically whined, wanting to get his best friend the coolest gift **ever**. "Video games? Books?"

"Hmmm, Haru-ru likes naked teenage boys in his bed, if you want the truth."

Silo glared at him.

Majik grinned and trotted ahead of his friend toward the parking lot of the mall that had only a few cars since it was so early in the morning, spinning in circles with his arms spread out wide. Because his sleeves were so long and baggy around his arms, the wind blew them around, making him look more... angelic than Silo had ever thought he could pull off.

"Whaaat? It's true. Ya shoulda seen him pound into Kyoji," Majik's grin became huge and cat-like. "He didn't even care that I was there, he was so into it."

Silo remained quiet, stunned yet jealous at the same time. He never thought Haruka did stuff like that, but he was more upset about the fact that he'd slept with someone other than him...

"...P-pervert," he whispered to himself, blushing. That thought was definitely his, not Melee's. It seemed that God was against him, because he actually preferred to think that it was Melee who was attracted to the silver-haired male, not himself... because he didn't think he could handle falling for him, then being rejected. It would ruin the bond they had.

But really... it'd been nine years since they'd last seen each other, so what kind of bond did they have?

Silo stopped walking, contemplating that.

Majik stopped his endless twirling, trying to focus his spinning eyes on his buddy. Once he was able to, he furrowed his brows and hopped over to him, grabbing his wrist and tugging him toward the mall that wasn't too far away. "I was just kiddin', Little Miss. Haru-ru, as attractive as he is, is still a virgin," he laughed airily and moved his face close to Silo's, his eyes looking straight into the crow's, as if he was reading his emotions. "I know ya like 'im, Silo."

Silo blinked rapidly and stumbled back, surprised that Majik had said his name for the first time since they'd known each other. It sounded good coming from those lips, yet so wrong. "I-I don't--"

"Don't lie!" Majik slapped Silo's ass and shoved him forward. "Ya like 'im, and ya wanna be with 'im, **right**? Don't deny what's inside!" he said in a sing-song voice, smiling cheerfully. "And I'm gonna let ya in on a little secret. Haru-ru..." he tilted his head to the side and smiled a very rare, beautiful smile, "I know for a fact he likes ya too."

Silo kept walking, but slowed down, staring at Majik.

"So don't be worried about bein' rejected or all that jazz. He likes ya too. And 'bout that birthday gift, whatever ya get him I'm sure he'll like."

The shortest of the two nodded slowly and felt a little happy throb in his heart, his speed picking up as they approached the shopping mall.

xXxXx

Sasuke toweled his wet hair while droplets of water ran down his pale chest and slightly muscled abdominals. After having a soap fight with the dobe, they'd both gotten themselves sticky and smelling like women, so they'd decided to shower. Not together, of course, since that was a thing for people who'd had sex. Speaking of which...

Naruto looked over at Sasuke from the center of their large bed, his naked skin dry and soft looking, a pair of red boxers low on his hips, revealing his happy trail. He grinned and sat up, crossing his legs Indian style, his toes wiggling in a childish manner. He licked his lips appreciatively.

"Aye bay bay, wanna ride?" he asked.

Sasuke snorted and tossed the towel he was drying his locks with at the blond's face, opening a dresser drawer to look for a pair of comfortable jeans and sweater. It was chilly out and he didn't really have any suits anymore, except for the ones from before he went into the coma.

"I don't need your idiocy right now, Usuratonkachi," he sifted through the many folded clothes. "Do you know where my dark blue sweater is?"

Naruto smirked and glanced over at the blue sweater that was sitting on the reading chair. He whistled innocently and slowly bent down to pick up the newspaper Sasuke had been reading earlier, tossing it onto the chair to cover the article of clothing. "Nope, haven't seen it. How about you just sit with me all naked-like," he wiggled his brows. "I'll give you a massage. I've heard that I'm good with my hands."

Sasuke chuckled and walked to the closet. "No, I think I'll just put on a different sweater. How about the black turtleneck?"

The blond nodded almost enthusiastically, always having loved the way the sweater hugged the raven's slim body. He'd been having trouble seeing Sasuke in a sexual way since they'd started dating, but he was glad that now he was starting to appreciate the very shape of his lover's body.

He was basically still straight, even though he was with Sasuke. He had been attracted to the Uchiha as a person, not because of his body and he found it hard to love his body as much as he loved a woman's. It was difficult to go through life being with women, then falling for a man. He'd felt bad because in the beginning, he hadn't been aroused by the raven's body, but now it was changing. Thankfully.

He wanted to love Sasuke's body as much as much as he loved him, and maybe soon, worship it as much as he secretly worshipped the beautiful personality of the broody male. Even though he was **just** getting used to the idea of making love with Sasuke, he wanted nothing more than to make his boyfriend feel good, pleasure-wise. He could sacrifice his own mental comfort for Sasuke's pleasure.

"Why're you staring at the front of my boxers?" Sasuke growled as he slipped on his sweater, beginning to tug his jeans.

Naruto blinked and looked up at his lover with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I was thinking about something."

"... Would that something be sex?" he asked, completely serious. He'd wanted to bring up the topic with Naruto, since intimacy was a big step in a relationship, especially when one of them had only been with women for the last thirty or whatever years of their life. He didn't want their first time to be horrible or random like in those stupid books, he wanted it to be when they were both ready. He wanted it to be perfect and for neither of them to regret it, he wanted to plan for the right time so that there wouldn't be any chance of distractions or interruptions.

The ex-businessman smiled lightly. "Honestly, yeah. I don't want to come off as rude or as a bastard, but at the moment, it's sort of hard to think of having sex with you. I fooled around with Sai when we were in high school, but I never had intercourse with him. We were just stupid kids... You're special to me, Sasuke, and I'm a little frustrated that I can't get as aroused with you as I can with a damn woman," he sighed in frustration, running a hand through his damp locks. "You're the only person I've liked this much. I never even liked Sunako as much as I like you, and I had a child with her, so I'm a bit pissed that Big Daddy here isn't jumping in delight just by me looking at you."

"... You call it 'Big Daddy'?" Sasuke couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Hey, teme! I'm here spilling embarrassing feelings to you and all you reply to me with is 'you call it Big Daddy'?" Naruto huffed. "Don't you even feel a bit angry that you don't arouse me as much?"

Sasuke scowled at him. "What? You want me to be jealous and feel like I'm not attractive enough for you? Unfortunately, I'm not going to give you pleasure, moron, I **know** I'm good-looking."

Naruto laughed and stood, going to put on his own clothes. "You're amazing."

The raven shrugged and buttoned the front of his jeans, pulling the zipper up. "So... I don't arouse you?" it seemed like despite what he'd said, it still stabbed at his male ego. Gay or not, he still had male pride.

The blond glanced over at him after picking out black jeans and a plan white tank top. He wasn't planning on going out, so why dress in nice clothes? "Sasuke, you're a beautiful person and you're hot," he smiled lightly. "I just need a bit of time to adjust to the thought of having sex with a guy. I've never been physically attracted to them, but I love you, soooo... I need to learn how to love all of you."

Sasuke nodded. "I understand. I can wait."

"But to speed up the process, maybe we need to make out on our bed?" he grinned like a fox and squinted his bright eyes. "Or maybe against the wall? Or on the kitchen counter? Those are arousing situations, so it might 'stimulate' me."

"..." the raven rolled his eyes and guided his hand over his blue-black hair. "Dobe."

But he wrapped his arms around Naruto's shoulders and leaned in, kissing him with enough fiery passion to light a fireworks stand. Their lips melted together like wax and Naruto purposely stumbled backward, falling down onto the bed and bringing his boyfriend with him. Sasuke shifted and arched against the blond in order to fit together with his body better, like two puzzle pieces.

Naruto sucked on his bottom lip and bit down softly, pulling it between his own lips. He wondered how Sasuke could taste so sweet when he never ate anything sugary. Pulling back, he ran his hands up Sasuke's back, pressing large hands into cold, slightly wet tendrils of dark hair.

"You must really want to have sex with me," he teased and only received a pair of canines digging into his neck as a reply. He'd never seen Sasuke like this, but he wasn't complaining, finding a slight stir in his groin. "Mmm, maybe the solution lies in how kinky we get, Sa-su-ke."

Sasuke went back to kissing him, slightly proud of his minor, yet major accomplishment.

"Little Miss's Papa! Sasu-Oji! We're baaaack!" Majik sang from the entrance to the home.

Naruto actually started laughing at the perfect timing, tears forming in his tightly shut eyes. His stomach muscles contracted and relaxed as his laughter continued on, a grumbling Sasuke climbing off of him and straightening his ruffled shirt. He scowled at their bedroom door as Majik and Silo appeared, the crow looking a bit sad and disappointed, his hands lacking the handles of any mall bags.

"How'd your shopping go?" Naruto asked after wiping his damp eyes with the back of his arm, his body lurching forward in an attempt to sit up. Even though they'd been interrupted, he was glad that he was able to get a little rise out of the short make-out session. He'd felt so bad about not being aroused by the guy he was in love with, but knowing Sasuke, it wouldn't be a problem anymore in the near future. The Uchiha was a stubborn bastard and would surely go to any lengths to fix his injured pride and have Naruto worshipping his feminine by the end of the month. He chuckled at that. He fell for such an interesting guy.

"I wasn't able to find anything good enough..." Silo sighed, looking downright depressed.

Sasuke raised a brow. "What's the occasion?"

"It's nothin'," Majik waved his hand up and down. "And where might Haru-ru be? His bedroom door's open."

Naruto glanced at Silo, wondering what he couldn't find at the mall. What was so important?

"I asked him to help snap the ends off of green beans for me. I plan on making my world famous Uzumaki Curry of Ultimate Impending DOOM!" Naruto struck a pose, much like Captain Planet.

Silo groaned and walked back toward the kitchen, hoping to find Haruka, followed by a humming Majik.

Sasuke stared at his lover and smirked. "Uzumaki Curry of Ultimate Impending Doom? Are you sure you were always straight?"

Naruto glared at him.

xXxXx

Majik patted his friend on the back as they walked down the long stretch of hallway, trying to soothe him. He suddenly grinned maniacally, as if something had just clicked into place perfectly. He stopped in front of Haruka's room and glanced out to make sure he wasn't coming. He then shoved Silo in there, told him to stay, then ran off.

"Wh-what...?" Silo didn't even have the time to think over what'd just happened before the black and white-haired teenager returned with some kind of outfit slung over his arm. "Majik, what's that--?"

"Ya like Haru-ru, he likes ya too, so what better way to say 'happy birthday' than with this!" he held up a see-through pink lingerie top and matching pink panties with black ribbons on the sides. Silo stared, then blushed hotly.

"Y-You expect me to wear that?.!"

Majik slapped a hand over his mouth and began forcefully removing Silo's clothes, ripping off the hoodie and undershirt quickly. He then proceeded to unzip his jeans and tug them down, leaving him in tight-fitting gray boxers. Silo let out a girly squeal and fell back onto the bed, kicking and screaming for his life. Majik grabbed a pillow and put it over his face in order to shut him up, apparently not aware that was attempted murder.

Silo's legs stopped flailing and Majik removed the peach-colored pillow, blinking down at a flustered and gasping crow. His cheeks were a rosy pink and his eyes were closed, lashes thick and almost glossy.

"If ya had boobs, I think I'd do you," Majik snickered, while Silo only groaned weakly from the lack of oxygen and the blood rushing to his head. "Now to doll ya up!" he yanked down Silo's boxers and grinned, attempted to make a stupid comment, but he held himself back. Lifting slender legs, he slipped the pink panties over two small feet and slid them up to creamy thighs. He then put the top on easily, since Silo was still trying to catch his breath and laughed evilly.

"M-Majik, I'm going to kill you in your sleep..." he threatened, still panting. "Why the hell did you try to smother me with a pillow...?.!" he went to sit up, but Majik jumped on his stomach and pulled fuzzy pink handcuffs from his back pocket, snapping one onto his right wrist, slinging it around the metal bar at the top of the bed, then snapping the other one on his left wrist. "M-Majik!"

"Have fun, Little Miss!" he then climbed off of the bed and scurried out of the room before Haruka could return, singing little show tunes on the way to his own bedroom.

Silo remained there, motionless and blushing. The top was riding up his stomach, revealing a pale and smooth stomach, his bellybutton revealed to be a half outty. It was cute and fit him well. But he was pretty comfortable in the panties since he'd gotten used to them as Melee. Actually, he was more fond of wearing them than he should've been.

Footsteps coming down the hall made him stiffen and he watched Haruka come into the room, wearing kahki pants and a dress shirt. He wanted to say something, but what was he supposed to say? That he was in revealing lingerie on his bed because Majik handcuffed him there in order for him to give him his body for his birthday? No way was that happening.

He watched as his best friend sat down on the bed after grabbing a novel in braille from his dresser, his right hand close to Silo's thigh. He gulped lightly and his whole body seemed flushed at that moment. He finally decided to speak, hoping that Haruka would understand the situation.

"U-Um, Haruka-kun...?"

Dark crimson eyes quickly shot over toward him and his face showed an expression of surprise.

"Silo? What're you doing in my room? Why didn't you say you were here when I came in?"

Silo suddenly felt very self conscious. "I-I thought maybe you could somewhat see me?" he laughed nervous. "Uh, funny thing is... I'm sort of..." he began whispering. "_I'm sort of handcuffed to your headboard._"

"... Come again?"

The crow wailed inwardly. "Majik tied me up to your bed as a joke. Could you... maybe break the chain with something? He has the key."

Haruka somewhat growled at the stupidity of his Norwegian friend, trying to come up with some reason why he kept associating himself with him when he could find better people to spend time with. Like Silo. He moved his hands slowly so that he could feel his way to wear the handcuffs were, but his fingers only seemed to graze a soft inner thigh.

Haruka froze.

Silo stammered and blushed.

"What are you... wearing?"

"Oh, um, another funny thing. Majik didn't just handcuff me to your bed, he forced me into... pink lingerie," he mumbled in embarrassment, rattling the chain of the cuffs so that Haruka could follow the sound and not touch any part of his body again. He didn't think he could take being so close to him without trying to kiss him again.

Haruka once again frowned and shifted, reaching over Silo to grab the chain. He had a good amount of muscles in his arms, so when he tugged back on it with all of his body weight and strength, he was able to break it. But when he shifted back, his hand brushed against the crow's exposed stomach, Silo whimpering lightly.

The silver-haired man noticed the sound and glanced away, as if he was battling his own urges. There was an akward silence between them as Silo sat up and rubbed at his wrists.

"I'm going to kill him," Silo mumbled in order to take his mind off of the tense mood between them. I'm going to--"

"Why did you kiss me?"

Silo snapped his head toward his friend and stared at him, feeling his stomach flip and his heart beat become fast and erratic. He knew this conversation would've come up sooner or later, but not in a moment like this.

"I-I..." he looked down at his hands. "I don't know. You're my best friend and I didn't want to ruin our friendship because of that kiss, but I couldn't help it," he wrung his hands together. "You were always there for me from day one, when we met. You were someone I could always go to and I was too young to really understand what I felt for you back then, but when I saw you again after all of those years... everything came back in a wave of nostalgia," he smiled softly. "And everything accumulated and I just couldn't stop myself from kissing you. I **really** like you, Haruka-kun, and I know that I'm the one who feels that way, not Melee."

Haruka pressed his palm against Silo's cheek and bent over so he was face to face with him, only able to see a dull blur of his brilliant blue eyes. "I've always liked you, even when I was eight. There was something about you that made you more special than anyone else... but now I wish I could see you so that I could tell you I like you properly..."

Silo blushed prettily and his heart swelled with a bit of sadness.

"Because I'm sure you're as beautiful as your personality," he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Silo's, slightly amazed at how soft they were. The night before, their lips had only brushed for not even a second.

Holding his breath, Silo kissed back, his eyes fluttering shut. "Happy birthday, Haruka-kun..." he whispered against his lips.

The blind male suddenly pulled back. "Birthday?"

"Yeah..." Silo smiled shyly. "I couldn't find you a gift at the mall, but giving myself to you... is a good enough gift, right?"

Haruka smiled. "It is, but... Silo, it's not my birthday. My birthday was seven months ago."

"... WHAT?.!" his mouth hung open in astonishment before he gritted his teeth. "I'm going to **kill** him."

"Silo, please calm down..." Haruka chuckled.

Outside of Haruka's bedroom, Majik grinned and spun on his heel, making his way to the kitchen to get himself a snack. He was humming to the tune of the music spewing from the headphones around his neck as he opened the fridge and pulled out some ham and swiss cheese to make a sandwhich. "Majik, you've outdone yourself this time," he told himself, but his grin slipped from his face and melted into a small upturn of lips.

He started putting the ham on the bread he'd gotten.

"You're going to be a third wheel now, but that's ok, right? After all, your best friends are happy, that's all that matters. You've always been a third wheel anyway, so it won't be that big of a change..."

**OK... this is pretty long :sweatdrop: I hope you enjoyed it. If so, please review and tell me. Thankies!**


	40. Eskimo Kisses

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Sorry for the long wait, guys. I've been sick in bed and haven't really been able to do much of anything, except my homework :grumbles:**

**Anywho, this is a sorta short chapter that's pretty mello and consists of fluff toward the end XD Enjoy and review, YOSH!**

**And sorry if it seems too romantic or lovey dovey... I've been reading the Twilight Series and Edward is such a loving and romantic guy :sweatdrop: it sorta rubbed off...**

Sasuke took down the last of the family portraits that had been above the dusty piano in his parents' room, guiding his fingers over the lines that made up his mother's face. He smiled faintly and stepped down from the small stepping stool Naruto had ran out to the store to get. Opening the closet door that probably hadn't been budged in years, he placed the painting inside, behind a messy stack of folded quilts.

Out in the hall, Naruto was waiting. He had his arms crossed over his perfectly muscled chest and as he waited for his lover to exit the bedroom, he thrummed his fingers against his biceps in a beat that couldn't be heard. His lips moved as if he were mouthing words to a song, but they came to an abrupt stop when someone stepped into the hallway from the living room.

Glancing over, Naruto blinked his crystal blue eyes and a cat-like grin spread across his whiskered face.

"I haven't seen you in a while, Kakashi. Here to check on Haruka?" he asked, uncrossing his arms to push himself away from the peach-colored wall. His sneakers were dirty from his earlier errands in the various gardens that surrounded the large home, leaving behind a few clots of dirt and roots.

Sasuke's used-to-be manager smiled beneath the mask he still wore, even after nine or so years. He hadn't changed much appearance-wise, save for the tiny wrinkle that appeared when his eyes twinkled in amusement. Clearly the man found something funny.

"I just saw him in the kitchen..." he chuckled, eyeing the blond with his one good eye. "My, you've gotten big. The last time I saw you, you were twenty? Now how old are you? Twenty-nine? Thirty?"

Naruto tilted his head back and huffed in an Uchiha-like manner. "And how old are you? Fifty?"

Kakashi raised a silver brow, still fairly amused with the conversation. "I'm thirty-eight."

"Che, well, you're still old," Naruto grinned and strolled down the hall, closer to the ex-manager that was now shorter than the businessman by half an inch. "And look at that, I'm taller!" his grin became wider, the sides of his mouth almost reaching his ears, it seemed.

Kakashi chuckled. "But at least I'm 'getting some ass'," he spoke his words in a way that reminded Naruto of the street.

Naruto sputtered and his cheeks turned a faint pink. He narrowed his eyes to dangerous slits and leaned his face close to the scarecrow's. "Who told you about that?"

Just then, Sasuke emerged from the room and interrupted the conversation that was surely going to take a road down the wrong path. He looked between them, but remained silent, walking past them so he could eat breakfast. Since he'd woken up, all he'd done was clean the house, rearrange furniture, and do laundry. He felt like a woman.

"Teme!" Naruto whined and he followed close behind, Kakashi continuing his path down the hall to Haruka's temporary bedroom so he could see how it'd turned out. He reached out and wrapped his right arm around the raven's shoulders, pulling him closer to his side as they walked to the kitchen. "You're hungry, right? How about I make you something to eat?" he smiled handsomely, looking more attractive than usual under the florescent lighting of the hallway.

Sasuke nodded lightly and absorbed the heat of his boyfriend, wondering how the taller man could be so warm when he, himself, always felt chilly. The smell of eggs wafted into the sitting room from the kitchen and they both peaked around the corner to see Silo, Haruka, and Majik sitting at the kitchen table. They were packed close together, like a group of gossiping teenage girls at a slumber party, except for the fact that Haruka looked fairly annoyed in his seat between the two other chattering boys.

"I didn't know you guys were up already," Naruto commented as he began searching through the fridge for something to make Sasuke. He wanted to get creative, but he noticed that all the eggs were gone and most of the deli meats had been eaten already. He hung his head and whined childishly, wondering how the three packs of ham and the pack of bacon he'd bought just two hours ago could've been consumed so fast.

He stood up straight and closed the fridge door, turning to see what the three kids of the house had made for breakfast. He didn't need to, though, because his bright eyes were instantly drawn to the colorful display of foods Majik had piled up on his plate. Narrowing his eyes, he started toward the cupboards to look for other cooking materials.

Sasuke had followed Naruto's line of vision and his lips twitched downward in disgust. "What is that supposed to be? I hope it's edible and that you didn't feed any to Silo."

Majik turned away from his friends to toss him a lopsided grin, the spot of a missing tooth visible for the first time. "It's somethin' Nii-san used to make for me all the time when I was little. He'd tried to copy a Norwegian dish... but didn't do so well," he snickered loudly. "But it's still yummy."

The raven placed himself at the head of the table and crossed his legs underneath, still a little disgusted with the strange looking food.

Naruto groaned in annoyance as he pulled a box of oatmeal from the cupboard. "There's nothing left to make but oatmeal..."

Silo sat back in his wooden chair. "I'm sorry, Dad... do you want me to go out and buy some more? I'm sure Haruka-kun and Majik wouldn't mind going for a little walk. Right, guys?" he smiled prettily.

Majik grinned and shook his head enthusiastically, while Haruka only grunted in response. He wasn't a morning person, really, and the smell of Majik's breakfast wasn't settling well with his stomach.

"Don't worry about it, I'll just improvise," the blond got to work and whistled a tune that he'd heard on the radio earlier. He'd taken Itachi's new sports car when he'd gone to the store and found that it picked up radio stations from Japan, all the way to Spain.

Sasuke let his eyes scan over the three kids as they went back to talking, Haruka throwing in a few words here in there to avoid the puppy dog look Silo would occasionally throw at him when he thought his best friend was being left out. He smiled to himself and reached for the newspaper that was sitting in the middle of the table, tugging it toward him, but the center of the paper fell to the floor.

Bending over to pick it up, he reached under the table and he became still for a moment, spotting the pair of linked hands under the table. Haruka and Silo were holding hands.

Sitting up rather abruptly, almost scaring Silo, Sasuke furrowed his brows together and his lips became a thin line.

"What's wrong? Did you hurt yourself, Otosan?" the crow asked worriedly.

"Are you two... going out?"

Haruka stared in the direction of where the Uchiha's voice had come from, wondering if the face on the blurred blob he saw held an expression of anger. He doubted Sasuke would be mad, though. Beside him, Silo smiled slowly, his crooked lips giving away his nervousness.

Naruto had turned around from his task of cooking to stare wide-eyed at his only child. His expression wasn't of anger, but of surprise. Sure, he'd seen the short scene of Silo kissing Haruka, but after his talk with Sasuke, he'd wondered if they were going to get together, since Silo probably **did** think it was Melee who was attracted to Haruka...

His eyes became less wide and he smiled, happy for his son.

"Y-yes... We sort of... officially started dating last night," Silo blushed lightly. "You don't mind, do you? Dad? Otosan?"

Majik munched on his food, looking back and forth between everyone.

"Not at all!" Naruto grinned. "I knew you two would get together one of these days. And I can tell you belong together," he stated matter-of-factly, waving his hand around in a silly gesture. "You can tell too, right, Teme?"

Sasuke nodded slowly, putting the newspaper back together and giving the two teens a fond smile. "Haruka has been helping you control Melee, though you might not have noticed, Silo. Your doctor might have said that I would be the one to stop your episodes, but I don't believe that. Haruka's the one who has been keeping her under control. Soon, she'll be nothing but a memory."

Silo squeezed his new boyfriend's hand under the table, tilting his head to the side a bit, his bangs falling across his bright eyes. "That would be nice."

Naruto came over to the table with a bowl in his hands, lowering it in front of Sasuke with a triumphant look on his face. He was practically beaming from his accomplishment. There, in front of the youngest Uchiha, was a bowl of oatmeal. Not just any oatmeal, but oatmeal made into a face. It had black hair, black eyes, and a scowl on its face.

"Look, it's you!"

Sasuke chuckled and for some reason, felt his stomach flutter at the silly and romantic thing his dobe had just done for him. He realized that he was falling for Naruto more and more each day. Already, his feelings for the ex-actor were strong, and he wondered if in just a short time... would they become unbearable?

He sort of liked the thought of that. To love someone so much that his heart ached? He'd never had that, not even with Sanji-sensei.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked, worried.

"Sorry," snapping out of his thoughts, Sasuke began to eat, enjoying the sound of everyone chattering around him.

xXxXx

Hidan sat with Itachi on the living room couch, the television on, but on mute. The flickering of the screen was comforting somewhat and kept the feelings of the Akatsuki members in the room calm. Sitting on the floor, Tobi turned to the couple and smiled beneath his bright orange mask. His body rocked back and forth in excitement, as if he'd been waiting for the meeting all day.

He made sure to keep his voice low since everyone in the home was asleep, the day having gone by in the blink of an eye. His cloak made a loud shifting sound as he changed his posture.

"Ano, Itachi-san," he began, voice still cheerful and childish despite the lack of loudness. "When are you and Hidan-san going to have the joining ceremony?" everyone in the group knew better than to call their ceremony a wedding. Not only was it a fairly girly word to the two of them, but it also wasn't good enough to describe what they were doing. The two of them just weren't two people strengthening their relationship, they were best friends, lovers, companions, completely dependent on each other to survive.

Itachi opened his eyes that were closed, his black orbs reflecting the flashing images on the large screen seven feet in front of him. He was leaning against Hidan's chest, his hair down and flowing to his waist in silky tendrils. He was peaceful and content as everyone was gathered together, Hidan's fingers warm and comforting on the bare skin of his arms.

"We've decided to have it next week," he answered smoothly, Hidan shifting lightly behind him and running his large hands up the Akatsuki leader's arms, to the soft skin just above his collar bone, his thumb grazing the perfect expanse of neck. "We'll be having it at a small shrine not far from here, up in the mountains close to a hot springs resort. We've planned on renting rooms there for everyone to stay at that weekend."

Kisame grinned next to Deidara and Kakuzu, thrilled at the idea of the hot springs.

"Remind me to get you an extra special gift," he chuckled roughly, wondering what gift he could possibly give to one of the richest men in Japan. He thought briefly about buying "toys" to enhance Hidan and Itachi's sex life, but he highly doubted that it wasn't already at its peak.

Hidan's violet eyes glimmered in the artificial lighting of the T.V. He looked so handsome and mature at that moment as he held the person most precious to him against his chest. Well, he seemed mature until his mouth opened.

"You could give Weasel-san a womb as a gift, so that he can have my babies," he grinned stupidly.

Itachi chuckled, looking beautiful and fragile with his hair down around his well-sculpted face.

Deidara smirked and raised his voice a bit. "What are you going to do about that, un? Children, I mean."

The couple thought about that, only one possible answer coming to their minds at exactly the same time. They'd wanted to just raise Majik together, but now that the boy was almost an adult, they'd need a child of their own to raise, right?

"Adoption, of course," Hidan spoke first. "But we talked about it and we're not really sure if we want to bring a baby into this hell hole we call our lives yet," he snickered. "We have money and I know Weasel-san would make a very good father, but with Orochimaru lurking about, we don't want to have a kid mixed up in that."

Tobi nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! You should wait until Orochimaru-san is gone. But... for the ceremony..." he suddenly brought the topic up again. "Will you be wearing a kimono, Itachi-san? I've seen brides at the Shinto shrines in such pretty white kimonos... so I wondered if you would be doing the same."

The black side of Zetsu's painted face lifted into a smirk, the white half remaining motionless and devoid of emotion. The rest of the group let out a gust of laughs and chuckles, but Itachi wasn't amused. He wasn't really angry either. He just tilted his head to the side unconsciously as Hidan ghosted his fingertips along his neck and jaw in a very intimate manner.

"I'll be wearing a black kimono," he stated quietly, but loud enough for the surrounding group to hear.

"Why black?" Tobi asked curiously, full of questions that night.

"It compliments his eyes," Hidan replied quickly, smiling brightly. "And it contrasts well with his pale skin.

Kakuzu growled in annoyance. "I know that this is something important and very meaningful to the both of you, but can we talk about something else? Romance is something I'm not too fond of," he grumbled, deciding to add something on the end. "Pardon my rudeness, Itachi."

"You're excused," the Uchiha muttered, not minding to permission for a subject change. He didn't like his feelings being out in the open for too long, anyway. "Now," his eyes became cold and hard. "Let's talk about Orochimaru and Oto."

xXxXx

Naruto sighed and fell back onto his and Sasuke's bed, clad in a pair of long, black and red checkered boxers. His sleeping shirt was tight and black, pulled up on his stomach, revealing his abs that matched his frame perfectly. His hair was damp and messy around his face from just leaving the shower, and he waited impatiently for Sasuke to come out of the bathroom. Really, how long did it take for a man to prepare for bed?

"Sasuke," he whined, rolling onto his stomach and flopping to the middle of the bed. He jutted his bottom lip out in a Silo-like manner and swung his legs back and forth behind him, waiting for the raven to emerge from the bathroom. They'd been working on their sexual attraction toward each other various times that day, just muttering sexy things to each other to see what kind of reactions they caused. The silly actions seemed to have worked, though, since Naruto was getting used to the idea of making love with the bastard. It was appealing and quite attractive at that point in time.

Sasuke came out of the bathroom a few moments later, flipping of the light switch in the bathroom, along with the one in the bedroom. The darkness flooded into the room quickly and moonlight streaked through the blinds and into the room, creating thin strips of moonlight on the floor by the foot of the bed.

"You're too impatient," he snorted and got into bed, immediately finding himself being pressed down against the mattress by two very large hands. The weight wasn't unbearable and he could smell his lover's minty breath that warmed his face.

Naruto grinned. "You must be a magician, Teme, because you were able to make me sexually attracted to you within two days," he spoke, slightly amazed. "I guess everyone's right when they say Uchiha's get what they want, when they want, however they want it."

The raven scoffed, but lifted his head to move his lips close to the blond's. "I must say, you boosted my ego quite a bit there."

Laughing handsomely, Naruto pressed his forehead against Sasuke's and their noses touched. He smiled in a way that reminded Sasuke of a prince, his deep blue eyes bright, even in the darkness.

"I don't want Eskimo kisses," Sasuke complained playfully, his heart warm in his chest. He was so close, he just wanted to swoop up and claim the lips that were rightfully his.

"Then kiss me the way you want to," Naruto breathed.

And Sasuke did just that, craning his neck forward just enough to latch onto those pink lips that were a only a little dry. But he took care of that problem with a flick of his tongue and a moist, airy moan. The mouth he claimed eagerly devoured his in return and he found his head back on the pillow and his back arching in pleasure as those warm hands ran down his shoulders, across his chest (fingers dancing over his ribs), and to his exposed sides.

At the moment, his fingers seemed scorching hot, burning the pale skin in the most pleasurable of ways.

He wouldn't deny the fact that he wanted to have sex with Naruto.

He just knew that it was too soon. He'd have to wait a few more nights until he could go all the way with Naruto; it didn't feel right yet.

Pulling back, he inhaled shakily and opened his eyes, which he hadn't even noticed he's closed. His cheeks were flushed and he almost laughed at how silly his boyfriend's hair looked, the locks sticking up in all different directions. Reaching up, he ran his fingers through the golden strands and fixed them to his liking, sighing in a content manner as Naruto moved to the side and laid beside him, tugging him against his chest with his strong arms.

"Ahhh, how someone like you managed to steal my heart, I'll never know," he joked and placed his head close to Sasuke's, their breaths mingling together. "Because you're not a very good kisser."

The raven scrunched his nose up in annoyance, but as a light kiss was placed on his lips, that feeling disappeared and was replaced with the exhaustion he'd felt before getting ready for bed. He unconsciously leaned in closer to Naruto, his eyelids heavy. He was sure his lover would tease him later for falling asleep right after such a steamy kiss, but he didn't care.

Naruto smiled against his lips.

"G'night, Teme, sweet dreams."

And with that, Sasuke drifted off.


	41. The Game Begins

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Dedicated to all you sexy bitches. You know who you are. Call me. :wink: XD**

**I typed this ENTIRE thing in two hours :amazed:**

Sasuke grunted as he felt the cold air from outside hit his naked skin, his mind hazy and confused. He didn't remember the window being open when he'd fallen asleep, so why was it so damn cold? Flinching at an annoying gust of fresh air, he rolled over and snapped his eyes open, his hair flung about messily. Sitting up, he glared at the old window that was open half way, the white curtains fluttering around.

Swinging his legs over the side of the large bed, he pressed his feet onto the floor and hissed at how cold it was, his toes curling inward to find warmth. He stood up and went to close the window, slamming it downward with so much force that the chipped paint came off and fell to the ground. Turning slowly, he saw that Naruto was still asleep, one leg hanging over the edge of the mattress, his mouth open slightly, and his shirt riding up his stomach.

He snorted in amusement and crawled back in bed, yanking the sheets out from under his lover's heavy body, so he could cover him up more effectively. There was a disturbance in the blond's light snoring, then it picked up in volume and his right foot twitched.

Sasuke almost laughed at the scene, but that urge turned into the urge to yawn, his jaw popping loudly as he did so. He laid down and curled up close to Naruto, desiring the other's body heat. But as his eyes closed, there was a scratching sound somewhere in the room and his eyes shot open, once again. He lifted his head and looked around in confusion, but shook the unknown sound off as nothing important, his head falling back onto the pillow.

He almost nodded off this time, but then the sound echoed around the room again, accompanied by a creaking of the floor boards. Sitting up quickly, Sasuke scanned the bedroom, but didn't see anything except for the bath towels Naruto had tossed on the floor and their clothes for today on the dresser.

_Maybe I'm hearing things,_ he fumbled with the possibility in his head, but all of his thoughts came to a screeching halt when he heard it again, this time near the foot of the bed. Throwing the thick blanket aside, he crawled to the end of the bed and looked down, staring at a little remote control car that was trying to get itself unstuck from a small corner created from one of the bed's legs and a few dusty boxes under the bed.

Reaching down, he grabbed it and lifted it up, inspecting it thoroughly until a groan from Naruto interrupted him. He turned and watched his boyfriend rub at his closed eyes, yawning at the same time.

"Mmm, what time is it?" he asked sleepily. "Isn't it too early for you to be up? And damn, it's cold in here!" he complained, covering his face with the blankets that Sasuke had graciously given him. "Was the window open or something?"

Sasuke went back to the head of the bed and crossed his legs, fiddling around with the car. "I woke up and it was open. You didn't open it last night before you went to bed?"

"Hell no," Naruto obviously wasn't a morning person. "I fell asleep right after you did last night. Ugghnnn, who cares who opened the window? Make me some pancakes."

The raven chuckled and stood, stretching a bit. He continued to poke and prod at the electronic toy as he went to leave the room. "Chocolate chip, right?" he received a grunt in response and he left to go down the hall, surprised to find Majik fully awake and standing right outside of the door. "Majik?"

"Oh! Ya found it!" the teen snatched the remote control car from the Uchiha and pulled a tiny screwdriver out of his pocket, pushing the tip into the 'x' shaped screw on the bottom. "I used it to take pictures of Haru-ru and Little Miss last night, but they caught me, so I had to hide it."

"..." Sasuke frowned. "You violated someone's privacy and took pictures, then hid the evidence in my bedroom?"

Majik nodded and whooped in joy when the bottom came open and a small square fell out. He inspected it, then tucked it into his pocket with a shit eating grin. "The only place I could think of where Little Miss wouldn't look would be in your room. Your door was locked last night, though, so I broke open your window and put it in that way."

Sasuke scowled at him now, not very happy with that bit of information.

"I was goin' to just find a way to unlock the door, but Weasel-san had taken my lock-picking kit before we moved in here," he nodded to himself and hugged the little vehicle to his chest. "Well, I'm goin' to go with Nii-san to the store to get these pictures developed, so I'll see you later, Sasu-Ojiichan!" he saluted, then took off down the hall.

Sighing, the ex-actor followed the boy's trail and made a turn to the left once he made it to the kitchen, opening the cabinet above the stove to get the pancake mix out. He didn't even notice that Itachi was sitting at the kitchen table until the sound of a glass coffee cup being settled onto a plastic coaster rung throughout the spacious room. He turned and watched his brother flip through the newspaper, dark eyes scanning every article in detail.

"Did you know that your 'son' took pictures of Haruka and Silo last night?" he asked his older brother, grabbing a bowl out of the cupboard to put the pancake mix in.

Itachi didn't look up from the black and white paper. "He was gloating about it just a few moments ago before he and Hidan left for the store, so yes, I know."

Sasuke raised a brow. "Do you know **why** he took the pictures? Or what they're for?"

"From what I heard, he took pictures of them kissing and plans on putting them on his own website."

"...You're allowing him to do that?" the shorter of the two growled, pouring the mix into the sickly white bowl.

"Being the business typhoon I am, I'm quite proud of him. In order to become successful and powerful in life, you must do whatever it takes to get to the top. Even if that includes stealing, blackmail, murder, or even taking pictures of intimate moments between two men."

The way he said it so casually actually made Sasuke crack a smile. He was mad that his son's privacy was ignored, but he somewhat agreed with Itachi. Being an actor and having played a role in the business world for a short time, he understood what it took to get to the top of a company. But when he thought of Majik as a typhoon with a suit and his hair slicked back like Hidan's... he began to feel sorry for whoever was going to work for him in the future, if that was the career path he followed.

"So Majik plans on being a company owner like you, hmm?"

Itachi flipped to another page in the paper, seeming more interested in it than with their conversation. "Yes, he plans on becoming the leader of the Akatsuki once I die. Of course, he'll have to become a member first."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes suddenly as he finished the mix for the pancakes and got a frying pan out, sitting it on the stove. "You're allowing him to join your organization? Don't you think it would be too dangerous for him? He's so young."

This time, Itachi closed the newspaper and looked up at his brother seriously. "Hidan and I know that, but we became members at an early age too."

"That's more of a reason to keep him out!"

"We're not forcing him into the Akatsuki, Otouto. We don't want him to become involved, but there will come a time in the near future when Orochimaru will do something that will create so much anger in his heart... and then he'll come to me and ask for a position in the Akatsuki, so he can get revenge. The same thing happened to Hidan and I when we were young, I'm sure you remember."

Sasuke flinched as he cooked.

"And I will not refuse him. I remember holding so much hate for that snake when he betrayed Hidan and I so long ago. I remember begging and pleading for Leader-sama to take me in as a member of the Akatsuki... I desired it more than anything. So if Majik is ever pained by something Orochimaru does and he comes to us for a position, I will not deny it to him, because I know how it feels. No one in this world is able to ignore the desire for revenge."

Sasuke sighed and finished with the hotcakes, putting both of them onto a plate.

"Well, whenever that happens, just make sure you watch over him. He may be odd and a little eccentric, but he's still my nephew," he smiled to himself.

Itachi scoffed. "And he's my son."

Chuckling, Sasuke left his brother alone in the kitchen as he went back down the hall toward his bedroom, the plate of hot chocolate chip pancakes in his grasp, western utensils on the plate. He could hear a television blaring from Silo's room on the way there and peaked in, just to see what he was doing.

Silo was leaning against Haruka's chest on his bed, the both of them enjoying a comedy. The crow laughed softly, almost delicately, at funny parts, while Haruka let his lips twitch upward at the jokes. He couldn't see the actors, but he didn't need to in order to understand it. Their left hands were together beside them, fingers twined together like ivy on a fence, both of them looking completely at peace in the dim room.

Moving away, Sasuke went to his bedroom, suddenly wondering what Itachi had meant earlier by "taking pictures of intimate moments." He froze in the doorway, his body becoming stiff. He idly wondered if Silo and Haruka were already having sex. Thinking of the young, black-haired teenager becoming a sexual being somewhat scared Sasuke.

At that moment, he finally knew what a real father had to go through when his daugter found a boyfriend for the first time.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked, staring at the man who was frozen at the front of the bedroom. He grinned at the sight of the pancakes. "Oi, Teme, get your ass over here. You look like you've just seen a ghost."

Hearing the blond's voice, Sasuke shook his head to rid himself of the ridiculous thoughts and settled himself down beside Naruto, handing him the white plate. The room was now bright because of the sunlight that streamed through the open blinds, various birds flying by and hopping from tree branch to tree branch outside in one of the many yards of the main Uchiha household. The soft purring of the air conditioner could be heard over Naruto's noisy chewing and he could faintly hear the television in Silo's bedroom.

Naruto noticed the spaced out look on the raven's face and he scrunched his nose up, lowering the plate to his lap. He swallowed the last piece of pancake and reached a hand forward to poke at Sasuke's cheek, drawing those dark orbs toward him. He grinned.

"What's bothering you?"

"Nothing much."

"Che, that's a bunch of crap. With Uchiha Sasuke, there's no such thing as 'nothing much'. So spill," Naruto urged.

Sasuke sighed.

"Well, I'm afraid that Silo and Haruka might have already become sexual with each other. I don't want to go into detail on how I know why, but I just think he's too young to want to do something like that. He just started going out with him. Haruka might be older by two years, but Silo's still only fifteen."

The blond blinked, then broke out into loud, obnoxious laughter. It was very similar to Majik's laugh, except lacking the occasional snort. Wiping at his blue eyes, Naruto let out a wavering breath and smiled like an idiot, the sides of his mouth reach from one ear to the other.

"Come on Sasuke, do you really think Silo would have sex so early in a relationship? He might like Haruka, but he's not going to reach that step with him until he knows **he's in love with him**. I taught him that and practically preached it to him... though I was sort of a hypocrite, since I would have sex with women who I didn't love..." he stared at his plate, but then shook his head and grinned once again, but not as bright as before. "But Silo's a good kid and you should trust him. He's had sex before, yeah, but he had no control over the situation whatsoever."

Sasuke nodded slowly. "I trust him. I just suppose I'm being too fatherly..."

Naruto laughed, the sound like bells. It wasn't the loud, cackling laugh like before. "Like a father witnessing his daughter dating for the first time. I don't worry about his choices, except when Melee comes out, so I've never really felt what you're feeling... But is it just like the dads on those Nick at Night shows?"

"I suppose. But I'm sure it's different in many ways, considering he's a boy and not a girl, so I don't have to worry about him getting pregnant," he smiled when Naruto snickered childishly. "And I haven't had him as a son for too long, so it feels like I'm about to lose him before I can really get to know him."

Naruto's smile slipped from his face at that sentence and he transferred the plate from his lap to the brown nightstand to his left. Leaning forward, he placed a large hand on the top of Sasuke's head. It seemed like a friendly and silly gesture, but between them, it was intimate and told each of them words that weren't spoken.

"He's not leaving anytime soon, so don't worry," was what the one silly gesture said, and it made Sasuke smile in response. The both of them had ways of communicating with each other without even opening their mouths. One glance was an open book to their soul, a smile spoke volumes, and a single touch could make or break them.

But despite that, neither of them really knew how deep their bond was. They didn't notice that with every smile and kiss they shared with each other, the roots of their feelings only dug deeper and deeper.

xXxXx

Kakashi sat with Iruka at the kitchen table with Itachi, the both of them across from the Akatsuki leader. Itachi had on a casual pair of jeans and a black turtleneck sweater, the attire looking better on him than it would've looked on most anyone else. Iruka hadn't aged much physically, except for the laugh lines around his mouth that appeared when he smiled brightly at a joke Kakashi would make while waiting for Itachi to speak. The weasel seemed to be contemplating something.

Finally looking up, he cleared his throat and laced his fingers together on the table top.

"Today, I'm starting my 'game'," were all the words that slipped through his pink lips. But they were enough to make Iruka look over at his lover and for Kakashi to sigh and lean back in his chair, arms crossed. The voices of the news anchors were hushed in the background by the sound of ice machine in the fridge.

Iruka's dark skin and soft hair made him look so young as he stared at Itachi in worry. "Today? Don't you think it's a little too soon. Gaara-kun told me all about it, and I assumed you would need more time to plan everything out."

Itachi shook his head slightly. "It only took me a few nights to create a plan," he turned his attention to Kakashi. "Now, Kakashi, would you mind calling Noburo-san for me? Tell him that he may relieve Takaya from his substitute position at my company."

Kakashi nodded and pulled out his cellphone, quickly pushing in the numbers and pressing the cold device to his ear, the soft sound of ringing filling his right ear. His good eye landed on Itachi's blank face.

"May I ask you why you're suddenly taking back your position at the company? You told me last month that you didn't plan on directing or playing in any more films this year," he asked.

Itachi chuckled. "There were a few changes. In order to start this game, the pawns must be pushed forward on the board."

"Pawns...?" Iruka quietly asked.

_"Good afternoon, Konnagi Noburo speaking,"_ a raspy voice spoke from the other end of the line.

"Ah, good afternoon, Noburo-san."

_"Hatake-san, what a surprise!" _the voice laughed, _"I haven't seen you for months. How have you been?"_

Kakashi smiled underneath his mask. "I've been doing well. But I've called strictly for business, on behalf of Uchiha Itachi. He wants you to relieve Takaya of his position as temporary owner of his company, since he plans on returning."

There was a silence, then a thoughtful grumble. _"Is that so? Why has he suddenly decided to go back?"_

Kakashi looked at Itachi expectantly, as well as Iruka.

The long-haired male kept his face calm as he spoke.

"Because the game will start with my pawns taking a huge leap forward," he began to answer. "Sasuke and Naruto-kun will be reintroduced into the acting world today, will draw Orochimaru's attention to them, once again."

Iruka bit his lip. "I-Isn't that a bit risky?"

Itachi smiled.

"You have to take risks in order to win a game, Umino-san."


	42. What Lies Beneath

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Oh, DJ, if only NarutoxSilo made sense in this story, then I would gladly write you a smutty chapter with them in it. But because it does not, you're stuck with this chapter XD Forgive me.**

**And sorry if this chapter seems a little off, I'm trying to get used to using my new laptop. I don't get the same feel with this that I did with my old comp :sigh: **

**:Gasp: I learned the Hare Hare Yukai dance:dances: DESHOU!**

**Come on, everyone! Review so that this story can reach 3000 reviews:waves pom poms:**

_"You want us... to what?"_

_Naruto sat on the couch with wide eyes, stunned with the sudden turn of events. He'd just sat down in the living room with Sasuke so they could catch up on the newest episode of one of their favorite reality shows, when Itachi had joined them, seemingly bent on sharing something important with them. But what he had to tell them was something neither of them had expected._

_Itachi didn't even keep his eyes on them as he spoke, his dark orbs focused mostly on the moving people on television._

_"I want you two to be in the new edition of Tokyo's most popular magazine. The photoshoot is this evening in the Yokohama Arena. It's sudden, I know, but it was the only time I could schedule for the both of you."_

_Sasuke's lips were in a thin line and he stared at his brother as if he were a moron, a complete imbecile. The idea was stupid, not just because it posed a risk to their safety, but because neither of them had acted for at least ten years. Practice makes perfect, so they were definitely going to be far from perfect if Itachi shoved them into a film._

_"What makes you think we want to act again? I'm content with my life right now and I'm not going to risk Naruto's life or mine by putting my face out in the public again," the raven growled._

_Itachi raised a delicate brow. "I didn't say anything about acting quite yet. All I ask is that you get your pictures taken. Don't be worried with the risks, since Orochimaru already knows you're back in Japan and that you're alive, Otouto. Trust me, you will be fine."_

_He felt like he needed to mention his "game" to the two key pawns. He wouldn't tell them they were the pawns, though, for they wouldn't play if they knew that. He was being risky and putting their lives on the line, but if he played his cards the right way, then everything would turn out fine._

_"Yeah... I guess you're right," the blond mumbled and crossed his arms. "But won't the entire Japanese population be shocked to find out that I'm suddenly back and that Sasuke's alive? Didn't they think he died?"_

_Itachi shook his head slowly. "No, he just vanished."_

_Naruto's eye twitched. "Hm, well, that's just as odd. Everyone will be asking questions, so what's your excuse going to be? That he was shot and in a coma for nine years? The truth's not going to work this time around."_

_"If I twist it around a bit, it will," Itachi was determined, the two other males could tell. Even if they refused a million times, the weasel would find some way to blackmail them. Hell, he'd get Majik to do it if he was that desperate._

_Both Naruto and Sasuke sighed._

_"Fine," they said in unison._

xXxXx

And that was how the two actors were thrust back into the world of acting.

Though, at the moment they were only modeling and getting pictures taken of them together. It was strange to be taking such intimate and romantic pictures as a way of introducing themselves back into the world, but it was better than akward sex scenes, since Naruto knew if they had to do that then he'd probably get carried away.

Suddenly, a light bulb lit up in the back of his mind, the water bottle he was sipping from almost slipping from his fingers. He glanced over at his boyfriend who was munching on carrot sticks, flipping through a magazine with little to no interest.

"Oi, Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"That time all those years ago... when we were doing our first sex scene together..."

Sasuke's head shot up and he stared at the blond in shock. He didn't think Naruto would remember something like that. He felt his ears burn at the questioning look in those cerulean eyes.

"Did you... you know, like me then?"

"..."

A sly smile spread across Naruto's face and he laughed foxily, his shoulders shaking with the rumbling sound. It only served to make the situation for the raven more embarrassing.

"So I'm guessing that was a real orgasm ya had, neeeee?"

Sasuke scowled at him, the bridge of his nose a light red. He threw the magazine at Naruto's face and scoffed, heading back to the stage so he could get the photo sessions done with before it got dark. Of course, he was only pretending to be angry, since it was what he'd always hid behind when he was a kid.

Suddenly, he stopped walking and the scowl faded from his face. Naruto was calling to him and he heard the footsteps of the other coming toward him, but he didn't acknowledge him, his dark eyes focused on the floor.

_How long have I... been doing this?_

Naruto reached a hand out and placed it on Sasuke's shoulder, spinning him around. "Sasuke, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... embarrass..." he frowned at the raven's vacant, yet thoughtful look. "Sasuke?" the look was so familiar...

xXxXx flashback xXxXx

_Silo sat on the floor of the small apartment's living room, staring up at the woman in the doorway, a small hand bag in her grasp. Her dark eyes were covered by her long lashes and her black hair was down to her waist, her face impassive. She didn't even say anything to the child as she slipped outside and shut the door._

_In the other room, Naruto was cursing and throwing things, his voice shaking as if he was about to cry. There was a loud 'thump' and Silo slowly turned his head to see his father fall back against the wall and slide down it, burying his face into his knees, his shoulders shaking._

_Naruto rubbed at his eyes and continued to curse quietly, his teeth gritted. He felt a small hand on his arm and his head shot up, watery blue eyes meeting a matching pair, but they were full of confusion, yet so empty._

_"Silo..."_

_"Okasan's gone... Why?"_

_Naruto pulled his son against him and held him tightly, closing his eyes so that tears wouldn't flow. He wasn't going to be weak._

_"Did I do something, Chichiue? Did Okasan leave 'cause of me?"_

xXxXx end flashback xXxXx

Naruto stared at Sasuke, then reached out to him like he did with Silo all those years ago, pulling his lover flush against his chest and pressing his cheek against the top of his head. One hand moved to the small of Sasuke's back and he breathed in the other's scent.

Sasuke's eyes were open, but not wide, confusion more prominent now, the emptiness having disappeared the moment those warm hands had made contact with his cool skin. He shifted and caught the photographers taking pictures of them from behind.

"Dobe, what're you doing? I don't remember asking you for a hug."

"What happened to you, Sasuke?"

The raven stiffened, wondering if he was referring to his anger.

"The look in your eyes... it reminded me of the way Silo looked when his mother left. What happened to you to make you look that way?" the blond pressed on, wanting Sasuke to tell him. He wanted to know everything about him. And if Sasuke ever wanted to know about him, then he would tell him.

Sasuke tried to pull back, but those muscular arms refused to let him go and he sighed. "I'll tell you on the way home. Let's just take the rest of the pictures right now, alright?"

Naruto nodded and released him, but not before brushing his lips against the other's, smiling lighty. "Promise to tell me everything? No matter what you say, I'm not gonna judge you."

The Uchiha mumbled a "yeah" before they both headed to the white stage of the arena, the photographers getting back into position, whispering among each other.

As they posed for another photo, with Naruto's arms wrapped around his waist, he felt something squirming around in his stomach. It wasn't nervousness, it's was something nauseating and sickening. Then he realized that he was bothered by the fact that Naruto had mentioned the same look in Silo's eyes when he was small.

What Sasuke had gone through was bad and he hated the idea of a tiny Silo having gone through the same thing.

xXxXx

Silo laughed happily as he ran through the spacious aisles in the carnival-like area. It was a large building that had recently been built close to Itachi's company (just around the corner, actually). He wasn't sure what booth to go to first, since all of the lines were fairly short because of it being a week day. He thought about having to start school again and sighed. But he became a little happier with the idea when he remembered he'd be in the same school as Haruka.

"Silo," the silver-haired teenager called, looking around a bit slowly. "Where are you?"

Blushing lightly and suddenly feeling guilty for having left his boyfriend behind, Silo went back to him and said the other's name softly so not to startle him when he grasped his warm hands. He smiled prettily when he received a warm look in those dark red eyes.

"I'd prefer it if you didn't run off again. I get scared when I can't find you."

The shorter boy tried to hold back his blush, but failed miserably, his smile lopsided. He tightened his hold on Haruka's hands and lead him to a nearby booth where there was a shooting game. He eyed the adorable stuffed neko that was sitting on the very top prize shelf, wishing he could get it. There was no chance that'd happen, though, since he didn't have very good coordination.

"Is there something there you want to do?" Haruka asked quietly, only able to see a blur of colors where the booth was.

Silo shook his head and muttered a "no" before moving on to another booth. he somewhat wished deep down that his relationship with Haruka could be like the ones on television. He wanted Haruka to win him a stuffed animal, give it to him, then tell him how much he loved him while they shared a romantic kiss in a secluded area of the building...

Laughing lightly at the silly dream, he made his way to another booth.

Far behind them, Majik stood, staring up at the neko that was baby blue in color, matching Silo's eyes almost perfectly. Today, he didn't have that golden aura around him like usual, his clothes that were usually bright were only matching hues black and grey. There was no smile on his face as he stared at the stuffed toy and dug around in his back pocket for money.

Five minutes later, Silo and Haruka were heading back in the same direction they came from, running into Itachi and Hidan who were quietly eating yakitori. In Itachi's grasp was a small weasel toy, the little animal comfortably resting against the Akatsuki leader's chest. Silo smiled brightly at that, finding Itachi's relationship with Hidan to be something special. He wanted his relationship with Haruka to be just as strong as their's someday.

"Where's Majik?" he asked suddenly, taking notice of the missing member. He felt guilty for taking off with Haruka without even telling Majik where they were going...

"Over there," Hidan answered and pointed straight ahead, with a mouth full of yakitori. He chewed and swallowed, earning him a disapproving look from his fiancee.

Silo pecked Haruka. "I'll be right back, I'm going to go get him so we can check out the other booths," then he took off across the aisle, pressing through the crow that seemed to have come out of nowhere. Once he reached the other side, he noticed that Majik was at the booth where he'd seen the stuffed cat.

The Norwegian stepped up, after the guy in front of him left, and lifted up the black gun that was resting on the long, wooden table. He did it in such a graceful way, that it stunned Silo as he stepped up behind him. His blue eyes were focused on the way Majik brushed his fingers against the dark metal of the weapon. He knew it only shot out plastic bullets, but the image of the cheerful boy holding the same thing that had almost ended Sasuke's life was a bit frightening.

Majik eyed the contraption for a few moments before lifting it up and taking aim. His posture was so professional and his eyes were so dark...

"Majik..." Silo mouthed.

The black and white-haired youth shot down one stack of tin cans and went for the next stack quickly, knocking all of those down too. He then moved to the next three stacks and finished the game in under five seconds.

Silo was stunned to say the least, his eyes moving back to stare at Majik's. The other's eyes which had been so dark were now bright with joy and his smile was beautiful once again, almost blindingly brilliant. He put the gun down and pointed up at the blue cat with a grin on his face.

"I want the kitty," he stated childishly.

The woman who worked there nodded numbly and took it down from its perch, handing it to the teen with a mumble of "thank you for playing".

Turning, Majik blinked, not expecting Silo to be standing there.

"Little Miss? I thought ya went somewhere with Haru-ru."

"..."

"Little Miss?"

Silo swallowed and smiled faintly. "W-we came back because we wanted you to join us... I-I'm sorry for leaving you behind."

"Don't worry 'bout it. Ya two are goin' out now, ya need your alone time, ja?" Majin smiled toothily. Bit something was off. His lips were stretched a little too far.

"Is there... something wrong, Majik? You can tell me anything, you--" he was cut off when he was shoved to the side and his friend took off running, a sound resembling a squeal ripping itself from his throat.

"Be back later, I see a German flag!.!" was all he yelled before disappearing in the crowd, followed by a few annoyed looks from people passing by.

Silo remained there, confused and worried.

_What's going on with him? And when did he learn to shoot a gun?_

xXxXx

Sasuke leaned back in his seat, eyeing the driver of the black car he was in. He frowned when said driver grinned at him in the rear view mirror, sharp teeth glistening under the street light the car was currently parked beneath. Kisame definitely wasn't one of the best drivers in the Akatsuki and Sasuke was starting to wonder if Itachi, for some reason, wanted him dead.

"D'ya have fun, Sasuke-chan? Naruto-kun?" the bulky, black-haired man asked with amusement laced in with his deep voice.

Naruto plopped down in his seat and shut the door, immediately fastening his seat belt. He grinned widely. "It was okay. They could've had better snack food in there, though."

Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Just take us home, Kisame."

The Akatsuki member raised a thick brow. "Somethin' special happening back at the estate? A party maybe? How come Itachi-san didn't invite me?" he gave a fake whine.

The raven scowled. "Start the car now, Kisame."

"Che, whatever, gaki," the man turned around and started the engine, pulling out onto the side road with ease.

Naruto sighed happily as the cool air from the car's vents hit his heated face, his hands moving up to undo the top two buttons of his shirt. The arena had been too hot and his skin felt as if it were going to go up in flames any second. He glanced over at Sasuke, wanting to ask him if it'd be okay to ask Kisame to stop at a gas station so he could get some water, but then something popped up in his mind before he could ask.

"Oi, Sasuke..." he started, "about earlier..."

"You want to hear about what happened to me?" Sasuke murmured. "It's not that interesting, really..."

Naruto frowned. "Everything about you is interesting, Teme."

Sasuke smiled lightly.

"Well, when I was little, the Uchiha Estate used to be flooding with family members. Everyone I loved was right around the corner and I considered myself the luckiest kid, back then, since all of my friends used to whine about not being able to see their grandparents or cousins. I saw mine every day..." he smiled at a fond memory. "Everyone was really close... And I remember when I would ditch the rest of my friends and cousins to play with Itachi and his friends. I'd thought his friends were the greatest back then. Deidara, Hidan, and Kisame were always around and they would let me play Othello with them... It had been a lot of fun."

Naruto remained quiet, wanting him to continue. Kisame had headphones on in the front, though, probably not interested in a story he'd already heard a million times before.

"But then they started coming around less often and Itachi would always make up excuses to leave home. He worried our mother a lot, but she would always say she trusted Itachi and she knew he wasn't doing anything bad... But I knew something was wrong, even though I was about six or seven at the time. And when Itachi finally did get home, it was always around one or two in the morning. He wouldn't talk or tell our parents what was wrong... He just kept quiet, until I snuck into his room because I'd had a nightmare one night... and found him shooting up heroin," he cringed.

"I didn't understand what he'd been doing back then, but when he caught me staring, he looked like he was about to cry and he begged for me to call Hidan, to tell him to come over as fast as he could... When Hidan arrived and went to Itachi's room, they'd argued for a bit and I stood out in the hall. But I could help myself and I'd peaked in..." he smiled lightly. "They were holding each other and I'd thought that everything was ok then. Unfortunately, I was completely wrong..." he sighed.

Naruto urged him on with a soft touch to his arm.

"The next few days went by without any problems and Deidara, Hidan, and Kisame started coming around again, accompanied by a few more people; Kakuzu and Zetsu. Tobi hadn't come around until later..." he cleared his throat and stared out the window. "They told me that Itachi had just fallen into the bad crowd for a bit, but was fine now... But I noticed that while my brother looked fine, even with the slight withdrawal effects, Hidan had looked horrible. His hands would constantly shake and he would look around the room nervously, as if trying to find something. Apparently, while Itachi could break free from drug addiction, he couldn't..."

"It was already hard enough on me to watch my 'family' crumble like that, but then a few days later... something worse happened. I'd come home from school and found our mother and father lying on the floor of the living room with their--their throats slit," pressing out the last part with a hoarse voice, Sasuke swallowed. "They'd been killed by someone... but even now, I don't know who did it. Itachi does, but he refuses to tell me because he says that he doesn't want me to be driven by revenge like him," he scoffed softly.

"But when Itachi had found out what'd happened, he went crazy. He'd screamed, broken anything he could get his hands on, then he'd broken down into Hidan's arms. He kept saying it was his fault and that he knew who did it... Back then, my brother had so many emotions. He was such an expressive person and when he was angry, he would yell; when he was sad, he would lock himself away and cry; and when he was happy, he would smile and laugh. What he's become now is just a shell of what he once was. I don't think he could ever go back to his old self," he shook his head. "I'm getting off topic."

"I don't mind..." Naruto whispered, his mind rolling over the new information.

Sasuke almost smiled. "Well, because I was so young at the time of their deaths, I had to stay with a relative. Itachi didn't want me to stay with him, because he thought he wouldn't be able to take proper care of me, so I had the choice of everyone else in the estate. Unfortunately, no one wanted to take care of me either. They all had one or more excuses... so in the end, I was forced to stay with Itachi," he snorted. "He'd been so angry, yelling at our entire family for being hypocrites. He'd said that they were always spewing crap about being a loving and helpful family, but when one of their own finally needed help, they refused to supply it... After hearing that, I'd became angry too. It just made something snap inside of me. None of them cared too much about my parents' deaths and they didn't care if I lived or died, they just wanted nothing to do with the incident."

"Then they all started moving out, suddenly having become afraid of what had happened. They thought that Itachi and I brought bad luck, since someone had finally been able to come into the Estate. It was funny, though... how the walls around the estate could keep demons out, but they couldn't prevent one single human from coming in and killing my mother and father... When I'd realized that, my anger became too much and that single emotion ruled everything I did. When Itachi had moved us into an apartment in the city, he tried so hard to make me happy, but I would just scream and yell at him... Thankfully, something happened that made the anger go away," he smiled.

"Hidan told me that he loved my brother. Just that simple little confession he shared with me made me happy again. It made me realize that through all the tragedy, there was still hope, happiness... and love, and that I could have all of that some day too. Hidan told me all about his feelings and how strongly he felt for Itachi. The more he rambled, the wider my smile had become. But as happy as it made me, it wasn't able to completely get rid of my anger. It was still there, and still is now. If I feel uncomfortable or don't know how to handle a situation, that's when it comes out, as a substitue for the usual embarrassment or akwardness. I don't know how to voice embarrassment, just anger."

Naruto stared at him, the strongest urge to say "Sasuke, I love you and I'm going to be the one to give you all of that happiness and love you deserve" rising in his throat. He swallowed the words, though.

"So know that if I ever get angry with you over something stupid and trivial... I can't help it. I know it's no excuse, but--" he was rudely cut off when a pair of lips descended on his and a warm body was pressed flush against his own. He struggled, caught off guard. His cheeks became pink as hands groped whatever they could get a hold of and a hot tongue ran along the roof of his mouth. Turning his head to the side, he inhaled deeply and growled. "What the hell are you doing?.!"

Naruto grinned cheekily. "Why, just showing you that I find your anger spurts a turn on. Mmmm, how I'd love to get you in bed right now and have that mouth that usually spouts obsceneties around my--" he received a knee to the stomach and he coughed loudly, shifting back and clutching his injured tummy. "I-I-Itai..."

From the driver's seat, Kisame laughed loudly.

Sasuke sat up and glared daggers at the blond, crossing his arms and turning his attention back to the scenery passing by outside. But even as he continued to ignore his lover, his expression had become softened and his smile was reflected in the tinted glass.

xXxXx

By the time they'd gotten back from Yokohama, it was ten at night and everyone was asleep except for Itachi, who was sitting at the kitchen table jotting things down as he drank a cup of tea. His hair was in a braid and tied together with a pink ribbon, most likely the doing of a hyper Majik. Both Naruto and Sasuke snickered at the man before them.

"I like your hair," Sasuke said it as if he were talking about an employee's new cubicle. "What color is the ribbon? Magenta?"

Itachi sat his cup down and looked up at his younger brother. "Rasberry, actually."

Naruto's snorted in amusement and grinned, but then he remembered something he wanted to do and leaned forward, his lips close to Sasuke's ear.

"I'll meet you in our room later, ok? I want to get a bite to eat first."

Sasuke gave him a questioning look.

The blond pouted childishly. "What? I just want some ramen. I promise when I get back I'll slurp you up just like the noodles. I'll even say 'itadakimasu' before starting, if you want," he grinned. "Deal?"

The raven narrowed his eyes. "Your humor is unattractive," then he started down the hall, disappearing aroundthe corner.

Naruto huffed and went into the dining area, sitting right across from Itachi. The weasel was still writing things down, his reading glasses low on the bridge of his nose. Pushing them up, he lifted his gaze.

"I thought you were going to have a bowl of ramen."

"Nah, I lied."

Itachi's face remained impassive, and Naruto really wondered if he could imagine him crying and screaming in pure frustration, like Sasuke had told him about. The only thing he could picture was Itachi pressing a gun to some poor man's head with an insane smirk on his handsome face, whispering in his ear how he deserved it.

He shivered.

"Lying to my otouto wasn't a very wise thing to do."

Naruto thought he heard a threat underneath the blank tone and he swallowed thickly, picturing himself with the barrel of a gun practically shoved down his throat, a dangerous-looking Itachi looming over him.

But Itachi's lips twitched upward into a slight smile, diminishing the blond's thoughts quickly. "If he finds out, you will most likely be sleeping on the couch. It's quite comfortable, but I doubt you would prefer it over the warmth of your own bed."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah... Um... do you think I could talk to you about something?"

Itachi lowered his pen and lifted his head, taking off his reading glasses and placing them in a dark brown case.

"Sure. What is it you would like to talk about?"

"Well, Sasuke was telling me a story about his past earlier..." he noticed that Itachi didn't look the least bit unnerved. "And he mentioned you knowing who killed your parents, but never telling him..."

Itachi laced his fingers together.

"I'm sure he mentioned why I didn't tell him."

Naruto nodded.

"I didn't, and still don't, want him to be driven by revenge. It's a feeling he doesn't need in his life. I feel I made the right choice not to tell him all those years ago. He's lived a fairly average and normal life since our parents died, unlike myself. I gave into my desire for revenge the moment I realized Orochimaru had killed them," he almost snarled, the anger Sasuke was talking about earlier bubbling to the surface.

Naruto's eyes widened considerably. "O-Orochimaru...?"

"Back in those days, he was the leader of the Akatsuki. When Hidan had joined that organization in order to find a way to vent his anger from the abuse of his father, Orochimaru had persuaded him to take drugs, so that he would be taken away from the pain even when he wasn't with the Akatsuki. I was stupid then, being a young, impressionable teenager, and went along with what Hidan was doing because he was my best friend and I loved him. I had also joined because Deidara and Kisame were in that same group, as well, both because they wanted to escape reality. Just like Hidan."

"But when Hidan's condition went from bad to worse because of the drugs, I refused to let him stay a part of the Akatsuki and we both quit. Orochimaru didn't like my choice, because he needed us to help him with selling drugs, and threatened me. I didn't take him seriously, though... and I really wish I would have. Then maybe my parents would still be alive right now."

"Because of my stupid choice to follow Hidan, instead of keeping him from joining the Akatsuki in the first place, I ruined a lot of lives. My mother's, my father's, my brother's, Hidan's, **everyone's**. Then I learned that Orochimaru was kicked out of the Akatsuki and I, giving into my strong desire for revenge, joined the Akatsuki once again. I knew that was the only way I'd be able to be strong enough to kill Orochimaru. I was taught to deal and steal drugs, how to murder, how to efficiently hide bodies, how to do a lot of things that were quite horrible. At that same time, Orochimaru was building up his own underground drug business. I... regretted my decision to seek revenge, because that only made everything a lot harder than it would have been if I would've just let it go. But I went through with everything anyway and became the second-hand man to Leader-sama."

"I look back on it today and I tell myself it was worth it, for I'm so close to finally killing him."

Naruto frowned. "I see..." then he tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. "There's something I want to tell you, concerning Sasuke."

Itachi stared at him. "Are you angry about what I put him through?"

"No, not at all. "Naruto grinned. "I just want to say...," he stood up and bowed, something he would never have done before, "thank you for taking such good care of him."

The weasel was surprised, his eyes a fraction wider than before.

Naruto stood up straight and smiled brightly. "You're a very good brother. Even though Sasuke didn't mention much about how you took care of him during all of those years when you moved out of this place... I know you did a good job. After all, he wouldn't have turned out to be the perfect Sasuke-chan I know now if he was raised poorly, hm?"

Itachi chuckled. "Surely, you know he's not perfect. He has flaws."

"I don't see them as flaws, I see them as cute quirks," the blond stated. He then stretched and spun on his heel. "Well, I should get to bed. I'm sure Sasuke's waiting for me to 'slurp his noodles'," he wiggled his brows.

"I doubt you two have had sexual intercourse yet, Naruto-kun," Itachi commented dully. "Majik would have informed me if such an event occured."

"..." Naruto glared at him. "I'm going to bed," then he made his way down the hall, mumbling to himself.

"Good night," Itachi nodded his head and put his reading glasses back on, going back to writing in the notepad, not noticing the small smile that was resting on his lips.

**If you enjoyed this chap, please review. It keeps me going ya'll! I need support, especially since I have so much school work to do.**


	43. Giving It All Up

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**:sighs: I know... "where have you been?.!" :sweatdrop: well, I've been busy with school and with my new boyfriend :shifty eyes: I'm sure most of you know what it's like to be in love and ya just can't get ANYTHING done XD**

**And Merry Christmas, minna! Even though this chap's not too... happy? Sorry not much happens, but I haven't been feeling well and I couldn't work too hard on this chap as I would've liked. I wanted to get some smut in it XD but couldn't, unfortunately. So basically, this is a filler.**

Silo stood in front of Majik's closed door, the bright light shining out from underneath the oak wood practically telling him to enter. His heart was loud in his chest, but he had no clue why. It was only Majik inside the confines of that insanely colorful room, with his sunny smile and odd antics. It was only Majik... yet Silo was deathly afraid that when he opened the door, he wouldn't see his friend. He was scared that he'd only see the shell that was him, like he'd seen earlier that day...

Suddenly catching the faint voice of a comedian on the television inside, his heart beat slowed down to a calm murmur and he inhaled shakily. Majik always watched TV every evening before going to bed and he always had a peanut butter and tuna sandwhich before sleeping, too. Now he was sure that if he opened the door, he would see the undaunting smile of his friend.

Reaching forward, he twisted the knob and cracked the door open, squinting at the bright light. Stepping forward and peaking in, he turned to the right, knowing he'd find Majik sitting Indian-style on his bed, wrapped up in his patched comforter. But instead of seeing that, he saw the male sitting on the very edge of the bed, his head down, something in his hands.

As he took in the odd sight, his heart sped up again and heat rose to his cheeks. He'd only ever saw Majik with overly large hoodies and slightly baggy pants, with the ocassional winter hat on... but at that moment, the Norwegian only had on tight jeans that were ripped at the knees, an extremely tight black tank top that was pushed up just above his belly button, and black leather gloves that had the fingers cut off. As Silo embarrassingly glanced down, he could see the abs that weren't hidden at all by the shirt, but he turned his attention upward and those violet eyes met his.

There was no happiness in them, none at all.

This wasn't the Majik he'd hoped to see and he felt his stomach twist into knots as he stared at those lips that weren't set into a crooked smile.

But then those dark eyes lit up and the smile Silo loved came back full force. Black and white hair that was twisted up in a messy clip bounced up and down when he stood up fast, making him look fairly girly. Silo had never noticed, but Majik definitely was gorgeous, when he didn't wear those ridiculous hats or those enormous clothes. Without them on, he had the perfect frame, almost like a model's.

"Ya shoulda knocked, Little Miss!" Majik scorned him playfully. "I coulda been masturbatin'!"

Silo's blush came back full force and he stuttered, his eyes falling to the floor. "I-I'm sorry, I was j-just worried... You've been acting weird today and... well, are you ok?" he looked back up to see his friend's expression and the smile was still there.

"I'm perfectly fine," Majik assured him, but his voice was off. "Ya shouldn't worry 'bout me so much," his smile was small, yet kind and honest. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes and Silo knew right then and there that something was definitely wrong.

"What's going on?" Silo could feel his heart beating in his ears. "Please tell me. We're friends, aren't we? You can tell me anything." He didn't understand why or how Majik had changed so dramatically all of a sudden. He'd been his regular self only the other day. What'd happened?

Majik's expression fell and he stared at Silo with little indifference. He then turned and sat back down on the bed, still clutching the item in his hands. It was the stuffed cat that Silo had wanted...

"It doesn't concern ya, ok?" Majik looked down at the floor. "Why don't ya... go spend some time with Haru-ru? He needed help with puttin' his clothes in his closet, right?"

Rejection. That was what Silo felt.

"Y-yeah..." stepping back, Silo left the room, not bothering to shut the door behind him. He bit the inside of his cheek, some part of him telling him that Majik would come out of the room and call him back, so he could tell him what was going on. But when the only sound that echoed throughout the hall was the soft 'click' of said friend's door closing, tears sprang to the crow's eyes.

He felt like he was losing a part himself and that scared and confused him. Yes, he was close to Majik, they were like best friends, but... it felt like his heart was shattering and being crushed. Was that a normal thing to feel for someone who was only a friend?

"Silo?" Haruku asked as he opened his bedroom door, having heard something akin to a sob just outside.

Having not even realized he was crying, Silo wiped at his eyes and inhaled shakily. He looked up at Haruka through his tears and wondered why his happiness with him had to be shredded to pieces so quickly. He'd been so happy...

"Silo? Why are you crying--" Haruka found his boyfriend pressed against his body in a matter of a second, before he could even finish his sentence. He wrapped his arms around the teen's shoulders and pulled him gently into the room, closing the door. He didn't want Naruto or Sasuke hearing them because he knew how Silo hated attention being drawn to him. "Silo," he repeated the name softly and gently. "What happened?"

"I-I don't know what's wrong with him...! He won't tell me and I'm afraid it's something bad, and that it's hurting him...!" Silo's voice shook and he let his boyfriend comfort him.

"Who?"

"Majik," when Silo whispered their best friend's name, Haruka felt himself frown. Even though they were friends, he'd always felt some bit of hostility toward Majik, but he didn't know why. Ever since the day Sasuke had been shot, he'd had this deep-seeded hatred for him. They were still good friends, yes, but they were the kind of friends who loved yet hated each other. Majik had made it perfectly clear a few hours ago before going to his room that he hated Haruka the same way, too.

xXxX flashback xXxXx

_Haruka removed his shoes at the door, along with Silo and Majik, all three of them carrying their owns bags with souveniers in them. Silo was laughing and talking about some funny song Othello had sent him over the phone the other night; Haruka was listening intently, smiling; and Majik was just dead quiet._

_Itachi and Hidan were in the kitchen talking with Sasuke, Naruto taking a shower in his room. Their voices were hushed and quiet, with a soft tinkering of Hidan's laughter, the television in the living room on, but on mute. It was terribly quiet and even though Silo couldn't really notice it because of being preoccupied with talking, Haruka could. If he could see, then he'd see Majik just staring at the chattering crow._

_"Haruka-kun, there's supposed to be an Ohba-chan marathon on tonight," Silo chirped happily. "Majik, you want to come watch it with us? You remember Ohba-chan, right? We used to watch it when we were little and you would spend the night," he smiled sweetly. "Come on, we'll make some popcorn," he reached a hand out to take Majik's, but the other stepped back slightly and smiled cheerfully._

_"Sorry, I can't. I'm kinda tired and I wanna get to bed."_

_Haruka could hear the pain in Silo's voice as he muttered an "oh", and he was sure Majik could hear it too. What was going on between them?_

_"Oh... ok. Good night," Silo smiled slightly. "We'll see you in the morning then?"_

_"Yep, g'night," Majik waved him off and as he passed by Haruka, his shoulder slammed into the other's. It was a rough push, not an accidental brush._

_Haruka winced at the seering pain and he turned, only able to see the blurred outline of Majik's retreating back. If his eyes weren't covered in darkness, then he would've seen the venomous glare Majik had thrown him before heading off to his room._

_xXxXx end flashback xXxXx_

"I'll talk with him."

Silo's eyes shot open and he stumbled back. "No! He'll get mad at me because I told you I thought something was wrong!"

"You're overreacting. Majik wouldn't get angry with you, Silo," Haruka pressed the dark-haired boy toward his bed and made him sit, reaching over to search for the remote on his nightstand. Once his fingers found it, he pulled it to himself and handed it to Silo. "I won't be long."

"But--"

"The Ohba-chan marathon is still on, so why don't you watch that while I'm gone? It'll only be a few minutes."

"Oh..." Silo looked up at Haruka with bright eyes, but suddenly pouted when his boyfriend ruffled his hair in an endearing manner. The small gesture was enough to calm his nerves slightly and he turned on the TV, still pouting, though. "Hurry up and go, I want to know what's going on with him," he whined.

Haruka nodded and headed out of his room, his wrist being grabbed from the right. He jumped and turned, but a familiar voice kept him from attacking.

"Come with me," Majik spoke, his face blank. "We need to talk."

Haruka frowned and followed his friend out onto the porch, past Hidan and Itachi who were speaking softly to each other in the kitchen. While Hidan was looking down at list of wedding essentials and throwing in his two cents, Itachi glanced over his shoulder and watched the two of them slip outside, disappearing around the corner.

He felt at fault for what Majik was going through, but not completely guilty. It was Majik's choice to become that way, after all; he did it of his own free will...

Outside, Majik released Haruka's wrist and sighed loudly, running a gloved hand through his messy locks of hair. He really didn't know where to start in his explanations and leaned against the side of the house, crossing his arms. With Silo, it was easy to say things. But with Haruka, he had to watch himself, especially with the topic he needed to tell him about.

"I hope what you need to speak with me about has to do with how you've been acting around Silo," the blind male said. "He's worried about you and I'm starting to get a bit frustrated," his voice held an undertone of loathing.

Majik somewhat smiled. "Of course you're frustrated... but what I'm doin' is for the best. Just know that I'm not actin' this way 'cause I want to... it's 'cause I **need** to."

Haruka scowled.

"I entered the Akatsuki as a novice just a little while ago..." Majik admitted. "With Orochimaru closer than ever, I knew that Little Miss would need some more protection. But then the both of ya got together and I realized that I'd need to work twice as hard to keep the both of ya safe," his smile was bitter. "If one gets hurt, the other gets hurt, too."

Haruka stared in his direction.

"So to keep Little Miss happy, I need to protect both him and you," Majik gritted his teeth. "And I need to distance myself from him in order to keep him safe, as well. 'Cause of Orochimaru decides to single me out, he's gonna go after Little Miss. I need to keep him safe," he repeated himself.

"Mostly him over me?" Haruka scoffed. He knew that Majik would've joined the Akatsuki sooner or later, so he wasn't too fazed. And he also knew that the other man held feelings for Silo, too... The Norwegian was masking them, ignoring them, in denial. That was why Majik was so bitter and acting different with Silo, he absolutely adored him.

That unnerved him, yet it relieved him at the same time. Because Majik loved him, he couldn't get close to him. Not now, not with the decisions he's already made. Since he joined the Akatsuki, he gave up his only chance to be with Silo.

If he wouldn't have joined, then Haruka would've felt threatened. Because despite how many time Silo would tell him he loved him, there was the strong chance that he'd fall for Majik. He knew already that Silo liked him too, even if the crow didn't even know it himself.

"Of course him over ya, Haru-ru," Majik said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Ya know why, too," he spoke harshly, anger seeping from his body. It was like all the anger over the years that had built up was now being released, slowly and calmly. "Yet ya don't hit me or anything'."

"Because I'm not afraid you'll steal him away."

He felt like they were enemies now. It was just like they said... and maybe it'd been like that since day one...

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

Since day one, had they been enemies? If so, it was just like now...

Majik walking behind Haruka, while the silver-haired man was right there, right next to Silo. And they both knew that that was how it was going to remain.

Majik laughed and looked up at the moon. "Do ya think... that if I had met him before ya... he would've liked me instead?"

"Maybe."

The white and black-haired teenager turned to Haruka and stared at him blankly.

"But we'll never know, will we?" Haruka sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Now let's go inside. Humor Silo for a little while, won't you? Watch some TV with him and make him believe that you're fine."

Majik pushed himself away from the wall and tossed on his trademark grin. "That I can do," he jumped on Haruka's back and ordered him to take him to his room, laughing loudly while doing so. Their relationship was confusing, but as long as they understood it, that was all that mattered.

Pushing open his bedroom door, Haruka was about to call to see if Silo was still awake, but a high-pitched squeal of "Majik!" cut him off. Not having noticed Majik leap off of his back, Haruka's ears were filled with laughter and giggles.

"Litte Miss, I hear there's a marathon on?" Majik grinned as he tickled Silo like he was a child.

"Y-Yeah," Silo laughed and his worry faded away instantly at Majik's cheerful face. He thought he was back to normal. "Are you going to watch it with us?"

"Yep!" he rolled Silo to the side and sat on the bed, yanking the crow against him. If he was going to have this last night of normalcy with his friend, then he was going to take it for all it was worth, no matter how many protests Haruka would make. "Haru-ru, get some more popcorn, will ya?.!"

The silver-haired male frowned, but grabbed the popcorn bowl from the bedside table and went to go get some more.

Silo smiled and glanced up at his friend. "So... how come you were acting so weird?"

"PMSing, I suppose," Majik joked and ruffled Silo's soft hair. "But I'm fine now."

"That's good. I was really worried..." Silo watched the characters on the TV and his voice drifted off as he became indulged in the plot. He didn't even pay attention to how Majik's smile slipped from his face and was replaced by a blank expression.

He was really going to miss this, he really was.

But he'd made his decision.

And he was going to keep Silo safe, no matter what. If he had to give up his own happiness for him...

... then that was completely fine.

**UGH, it sucked :sweatdrop: **


	44. Happy Go Lucky

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**I'm so sorry about the long wait for you all! I've just been busy with life. Hopefully, you all will forgive me?**

**And the moment you've all been waiting for:grin: This is nothing but a feel good, sexy chapter XD Please enjoy.**

Naruto buttoned up his black shirt, stopping close to the middle of his chest. Reaching up toward the mirror of his and Sasuke's dresser, he grabbed the hair gel that was on the shelf. Neither he or his lover used it for anything other than fixing a bad hair day, but he wanted to look special for today. Believe it or not, it was their one month anniversary and he wanted to look... dashing and sophisticated?

"Not that I don't any other time," he smirked at his reflection in the mirror and put a small amount of gel in his hair, causing his blond spikes to have a little more edge to them. Putting the tube away, he rubbed his hands together and headed out of their room, hoping to find the already dressed raven somewhere in the large household.

Stepping into the living room, he spotted Hidan and Majik on the sofa talking lowly to each other, the black and white-haired teenager looking like he was on the verge of a breakdown. He furrowed his brows and went into the kitchen, wondering what was going on with the boy. As he went to the fridge to get something to drink and to wait for Sasuke to emerge from wherever he was, a loud sigh came from Hidan in the living room.

The silver-haired Akatsuki member crossed his arms and stared into the matching eyes of his baby brother. It was the only thing that made them physically similar. "Majik, don't do this. You'll end up like Weasal-san if you do," he grumbled. "He pushed people away once he entered the Akatsuki, so don't make the same mistake as him."

"But I have to," Majik whispered loudly. "I gotta protect Little Miss--"

"Don't worry about him! Just be a kid and worry about boyfriends and girlfriends, pimples, your grades, whatever! You're too young to get wrapped up in death and what this group is..." Hidan rubbed the bridge of his nose, clearly not enjoying how he was supposed to be the mature one this time. "Until you're eighteen, just be happy and enjoy life. Weasal-san and I will be the ones keepin' all three of you safe, alright? We may have let you enter this group, but only because it was inevitable. You're not goin' to do anything dangerous until you're an adult."

Majik frowned. "Then why didn't ya just keep me from joinin' 'til I was eighteen?"

"Because Weasal-san thought it would be best for you to have a headstart. He just wants you to understand the feel of being in this organization. Just spend time with Silo and Haruka like you used to, ok? That's all I'm askin'."

Smiling slightly, Majik nodded. "Two years..."

"Two years before you have to do anythin' dangerous and risky," Hidan ruffled his brother's hair and grinned widely. "I just thought I should clear it up. Silo hasn't been as cheerful these past few days because of you ignoring him. You don't need to ignore someone to protect them. Stay by his side, Majik, and you'll always be there if he needs you."

"That makes sense..."

"And you always thought I was full of bull," Hidan smirked. "Well, look who's giving the meaningful and smart speeches now."

The Norwegian fixed his messed up hair, his black nail polish glimmering under the light above them. "Ya probably practiced with Mr. Weasal before ya came lookin' for me," he stood up and glanced over toward the hallway, seeing a sleepy Silo standing there in his pajamas. They'd both stayed up pretty late watching that marathon last night.

Smiling widely, Majik flung himself at the other boy. "Little Miss!" he sung brightly. "Let's go play my Wii! Mario Galaxy! Mario GALAXY! Go get Haru-ru so we can play with him, too!"

Silo blinked tired eyes and laughed cutely. "He's sleeping, Majik--"

"I'll go wake 'im up then! Go in my room and get the game ready!" he then took off, startling Silo. The crow huffed and went into the kitchen, ignoring Majik's instructions.

"I'm getting breakfast first," he spoke to no one but himself. As he got the cereal down from the cupboard above the stove, Naruto looked up from the magazine he was reading at the dining table.

"You're up awfully late. It's almost noon."

"I was up until four in the morning," Silo rubbed at his eyes and pulled out a bowl from the dishwasher, sitting it on the counter and pulling open the cardboard flaps of his preferred cereal: fruity pebbles. Pouring some in, he yawned.

Naruto grinned. "Doing what?"

Silo suddenly spun around and glared at his father, a light blush on his cheeks. " Just watching TV, Dad, nothing else."

"Hmm, don't get so defensive. I wasn't even assuming anything," the blond lied cheerfully. "Hey, have you seen Sasuke? We're supposed to be heading out soon."

Going back to getting his cereal fixed up, Silo shook his head and his slightly long locks of black hair flung around his pretty face. "I haven't seen him, but Itachi told me that he went outside for a walk."

"...A walk? WHAT THE FUCK?.!"

Silo squeaked loudly in surprise and almost spilled the milk all over the counter.

"We're supposed to be going on our date soon and he's out walking?.!" Naruto huffed immaturely and got up, heading toward the sliding doors that led out to the porch in front of the rock garden. Shoving them open, he stepped out and started walking to the right, knowing that the left only led to a dead end. "Sasuke!" he shouted.

But once he rounded a second corner, he spotted said raven standing out just beyond the fence that separated the main Uchiha house from the small forest just beyond it, the fence rusted and hanging outward toward a withered tree. Sasuke stood still, the light breeze brushing his bangs to the side and Naruto could barely make out his eyes twitching from the cold air.

Stepping down from the wooden porch, he cut through the tall grass and kicked a metal watering can out of the way that was rusted from years of rain, leaping over the old fence and making his way to his boyfriend. Even with all of the noise he was making, Sasuke still didn't turn around and Naruto was starting to get slightly worried.

"Sasuke? What're you doing out here? You do know we're supposed to go on a date, right?" he tried to sound irritated, but when Sasuke acknowledged him and looked up, he shut his mouth. The other male had somewhat of an upset and saddened expression on his handsome face. Wondering what could be the problem, he glanced down and spotted two old broken headstones that were covered in dirt and ivy. There was a single name on each one, but the blond wasn't able to read them due to erosion and such. "Who are...?"

"My parents," Sasuke answered quietly and bluntly. "I'd realized I hadn't come to see them once since I've been here..."

Bending down, Naruto ripped the ivy away and attempted to wipe some dirt off with his hand, only managing to dust it off, really. Sasuke hadn't told him his parents were buried within the compound... It was a slightly creepy thought, but with the Uchiha family's past beliefs and such, wouldn't burying them outside of their home have left them open to demon posession or whatever?

Shaking his head to get rid of the stupid thoughts, he stood back up, sliding his hands together in an attempt to get rid of the chills the wind gave him.

"I'm sorry I left..." Sasuke's apology was soft. "But I'd had a nightmare last night about the past and I felt like I needed to see them."

"It's ok, I understand," Naruto gave his best reassuring smile. How could he be mad because of something like that? If he'd had a horrible nightmare about his own parents, he'd go to visit their graves, as well. "Do you want me to leave you alone? I can wait inside if you want...?"

"Please stay. I did want to introduce you to them..." Sasuke's smile was sincere.

Naruto suddenly grinned and nodded.

xXxXx

The car ride was quiet, except for low notes of the singer on the radio. Neither passengers in the car really wanted to indulge in conversation, so they both didn't mind the silence. It wasn't awkward at all, Sasuke staring outside at the overpass on the other side of the highway, two men sitting on the rail underneath. Naruto, on the other hand, was trying his hardest to remember which exit to turn on. He didn't want to start their date off by getting lost in a ghetto. It'd happened to him in Baltimore, Maryland, and he was definitely not going to let it happen again.

"Ah ha! This one!" he put on his blinker and swirved to the right, startling Sasuke out of La la Land. The raven gripped his seatbelt tightly as a larger vehicle came too close for comfort, and he began to wonder what he ever saw in such a reckless idiot. "Well, only five more minutes and we should be there," Naruto sang brightly, shattering the comfortable silence that had settled in the car not even minutes earlier.

Sasuke sat up straight and cleared his throat. "Exactly where are we going?"

"Nara."

"...Pardon? Did you just say that we're going to Nara?"

Naruto raised a brow and gave Sasuke a 'what? are you fuckin' deaf?' look. "Yeah, that's what I just said. You have a problem with that place? I used to visit my cousins there all the time when I was little," he grinned. "We're gonna see the deers, Sa-su-ke!"

The raven would've frowned if it were anyone else talking to him. He definitely didn't want to spend most of their date petting and feeding disease-infested creatures. But he supposed he'd deal with it, since it would be rude to tell the blond that he detested animals and he wanted to turn right back around and go home.

"Sounds like fun," he lied through his teeth.

"You're such a lying son-of-a-bitch," Naruto laughed breathily and stopped at a red light. "But don't worry, you'll like it. I wouldn't have decided on taking you there if I thought you'd hate it."

"Hn."

xXxXx

Sasuke's brow twitched as he stood in the center of the sidewalk, a group of Nara deer all around him, grazing on the grass. Naruto was a few feet away, holding up his video phone. He snickered and took on a different angle with his hand, then pushed down on the talk button.

"Look at the camera, Teme, I'm videotaping!"

The raven glared at him, but humored his lover by throwing the camera a handsome smile as he ran his hand along a deer's snout. The animal shook its head and its ears twitched, a large tongue running out along grass-stained lips. It grunted and lowered its head and began munching on grass again, Sasuke's bare hand sliding over broad shoulders that were as high up as his. As much as he wanted to say he wasn't enjoying himself... he was. It was like Naruto knew exactly how to relax him and show him a good time, even when it was doing something Sasuke thought would otherwise piss him off.

"Hey, you should climb onto it," Naruto mused. "See if you can ride around on it."

Sasuke chuckled and pushed his way through the herd of animals, trying to find at least one spot that was clear. Looking past a small family of four, he spotted the stones that were stacked atop of each other, all creating a sort of stone bridge that went over the dirt path in the park. He turned and called for Naruto to hurry, then pushed himself through the crowd of people and deer.

"Gah--Wait up!" Naruto almost stumbled over himself as he hurried after his boyfriend, thoroughly enjoying their date so far. It wasn't all romantic and mushy like usual dates, but they were grown men, not teenagers.

The Uchiha glanced at the boulders as soon as he reached them, feeling slightly out of character. He'd gotten this sudden burst of energy and for some reason, he had the strongest desire to take Naruto somewhere where they could be alone. He didn't want to make out or anything, he just wanted peace and quiet, without other people hovering around them. He was also a bit paranoid that someone would recognize him, even though the scans of them in the recent magazine wouldn't be out until tomorrow.

Lifting one leg up, he placed it on the bottom rock and hoisted himself up, followed by a curious blond male who was still holding his phone, even though he'd turned it off. The both of them climbed until they reached the top, sitting down on a large stone that overlooked a good majority of the area. No one could see them too well, since they were slightly obscured by the moss hanging from the huge oak in front of them.

"Why the sudden urge to come up here?" Naruto asked, intrigued. He tucked his phone away and leaned back, arching like a cat under the warm sun.

"I wanted to get away from everyone for a while. This is a date, Dobe, if you haven't noticed," Sasuke retorted mockingly. It was in a playful manner, though, and the American-raised male tossed him a lopsided grin, his eyes squinted a bit from the bright sun.

"Che, you wanted to get me all alone up here, huh?" he wiggled his brows. "For what, Uchiha, some hardcore sex?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Sasuke smirked. "I just came up here so we could talk. All we've been doing is petting disgusting animals and running around in the heat all morning. I'd like to actually spend time with you."

"Heh, right. And it is pretty warm today..." Naruto looked up at the clear, blue sky, shielding his eyes from the sun with a single hand. "Even though it's still technically winter. Shouldn't it be snowing or whatever?"

"No, it's almost spring..." Sasuke's voice trailed off in the sudden gust of cool air.

Naruto stared at him for a moment before bursting out into a wide smile. He sat up and brushed his arms off, scratching the top of his head for a moment. "So... how do you feel about the magazine coming out tomorrow? Nervous?"

Sasuke frowned a bit and scoffed. "Not at all. How about you?"

"I'm scared as hell," Naruto admitted with a laugh. "Itachi said it was a good idea, so I believe him, but... I don't understand how shoving us right into the spotlight is going to help any," he huffed. "If anything, it'll get me shot in the head. Blood and brains'll splatter everywhere, most likely."

"That's disgusting," the raven commented in annoyance, laying back in the shade. "And you won't get shot in the head, Usuratonkachi. The Akatsuki will be looking after us, that's what Itachi said."

"He also mentioned something about the Yakuza..." Naruto shivered and looked up in thought, imagining a bald man with tattoos running down the whole expanse of his back and arms, a pinky missing from one hand. He laughed nervously to himself. "Never in my life would I have thought I'd come in contact with the Yakuza. When I was little, my dad used to tell me all about them... and I'm definitely scared that I'll end up being shanked."

"...Shanked?"

Naruto blinked down at his lover. "It's a verb. You know, to shank?" he made a stabbing gesture.

"Hn," Sasuke closed his eyes.

There was a silence between them, but it was a comfortable one. Time seemed to pass by all too soon and as they enjoyed the afternoon, the sun lowering behind a few rain clouds and thunder rolling through the area, scaring a group of kids. Yet even when the thunder got louder and the clouds loomed high in the sky above them, neither Sasuke or Naruto budged from their perches atop the large stones.

"Maybe we should head out?" Naruto asked in a sigh as a raindrop splattered against his cheek. "I did want to take you to this one restaurant down the street."

Sitting up, Sasuke ran a hand through the spiked locks of his hair, droplets of rain splattering against his face, as well. Glancing down at his watch, he slowly blinked. It was almost six in the evening.

"Come on, Princess," Naruto stood up and began climbing down, reaching a hand out with a strikingly handsome smile on his face. It was times like these when Sasuke wondered why he deserved such a beautiful being like the one right before him... "Oi, are you just going to stare at me?" Naruto's smile slipped off and morphed into a childish pout, his arm flailing around. "Take my hand so we can goooo!"

Sasuke chuckled and reached out to take the hand, his pale fingers lacing with tan ones. He was pulled forward gently and Naruto switched their places, telling him to go down first so that if the raven tripped, he'd be able to keep him from falling.

"Are you sure this is the best way to go down?" Sasuke asked, staring down at the ground that was littered with small pebbles and a rotted tree that had fallen. His hand unconsciously tightened around Naruto's as the blond nodded and told him to start downward.

"Don't be a baby, Teme, just get going," Naruto laughed. But when he saw his lover's dark eyes transfixed on the ground that seemed so far down, he smiled softly. "Sasuke, there's no need to worry. You won't fall, I promise. If I'm lying, then let the great gods strike my sinful heart."

Sasuke glared at him, but started down, careful of stepping on any loose rocks. He realized that it was much easier going up than it was going back down. Holding tightly onto his boyfriend's hand, he stepped onto the widest of the boulders that was half way down from the top.

"Almost there!" Naruto spoke to him as if he were an infant. "Just a few more rocks and we can go get some sushi! Think of all the delicious, mouth-watering tempura we're gonna eat."

"You're making the situation worse, so I suggest you shut up," the Uchiha hissed, making it to the very last rock before they both jumped onto the ground. He adjusted his shirt and pants, brushing himself off so that he would be presentable in the restaurant.

"Now let's get a move on, I reserved a table for us," Naruto grinned.

Sasuke only arched a fine brow.

xXxXx

"Hn, and I thought we were going to be eating at a fine dining establishment," Sasuke took a sip from his glass that had liquor in it, a plate of sushi in front of him, as well. All around him, men were laughing and playing pool or the video games that were across the room, some even having drinking contests at their booths.

Laughing, Naruto took a swig of his Asahi beer. "You expect too much of me sometimes. You know I'm not into fancy restaurants or shops. I'm more of a bar type of guy," he popped a piece of sushi into his mouth and chewed while talking, definitely feeling at ease with the raven. He knew Sasuke didn't care about his eating habits or manners, so he just stayed himself. "But ya can't tell me you're not havin' fun," he continued to talk with food in his mouth.

Sasuke watched a couple at the end of the bar order some beers, then switched his attention back to Naruto, his eyebrows raised. "I could consider the feeling as fun, I suppose," he joked in a serious tone.

Snickering, Naruto reached over and grabbed one of Sasuke's dumplings, dipping it in the brown sauce beside him. The raven scowled, but did nothing to stop the hand that had stolen his delicious potsticker, watching the dripping dumpling go into a big mouth full of pearly, white teeth.

"You treat me to dinner and then you steal my food?" Sasuke smirked.

"Hey, I'm paying, so don't compla--" Naruto's eyes locked onto someone across the room and he immediately shut his mouth.

Turning on his padded stool, Sasuke glanced toward the back corner of the spacious room and saw a man quickly squeak and cover his face with his gloved hands, his head swooping down to hit the wooden table, the salt shaker falling over.

"...As if that'll help," Naruto grumbled and got up, telling the bartender to watch their plates as he beckoned for Sasuke to follow him. They weaved themselves through a crowd around the pool tables and the guy that was attempting to hide from them glanced up at them from between his fingers. "Is there a reason you've been following us? I saw you at Nara park, too. If you're trying to score with my boyfriend here, then I'll have to--"

"N-n-no!" the male's head shot up immediately at the last statement and messy brown hair fell over his ears, pale cheeks colored a bright pink. Dark red eyes met his and the unknown person glanced down, a bit ashamed. "That's not what I was doing."

Sasuke looked down at him before chuckling in recognition. "It's fine, Naruto, he's no threat."

Naruto blinked. "What? But he was stalking us!"

"That's because he's part of the Akatsuki. This is Tobi," he spoke as Tobi lifted his head and smiled brightly, still a bit shy and flustered. "He just doesn't have his mask on. I've only seen him without it on once, but I recognize him."

"Itachi-sama wanted me to make sure you two were going to be alright. He didn't want to take any chances since Orochimaru is out and about..." Tobi reached into laptop bag that was beside him and pulled out his trademark orange, swirled mask.

"Ohhh! **That** Tobi!" Naruto grinned. "You're that guy that was with Itachi when he came to Kiba's place to see Sasuke, right?"

Tobi nodded. "But I'm sorry I interrupted your date... you two can go back to eating. I wasn't even really watching," he blushed, seemingly more shy than when he'd wear his mask. "So don't think I'm a stalker or anything."

"Nah, we know it's your job. It's not like you're sitting here watching us have sex on the bar," Naruto waved his hand in a dismissing manner.

Tobi flushed hotly, quickly putting his mask on to hide his embarrassment. "Y-You should go back to eating now, Uzumaki-kun, Sasuke-san. Your food's going to get cold."

"I guess you're right... Come on, Sasuke! Let's finish eating so we can play some Soul Calibur after those two guys get done playing!"

Sasuke laughed under his breath. "I'll be there in a moment. I'm going to talk to Tobi about something first."

"Ok, but I'm gonna steal the rest of your dumplings!" Naruto took his spot back at the bar and swirled his stool around, reaching over to take another one of the warm potstickers.

Looking up at the standing male, Tobi smiled underneath his mask. "Sasuke-san, I haven't seen a single sign of Oto or Orochimaru all day, so you don't need to worry. Enjoy your evening with Uzumaki-kun."

"You don't have to watch over us. We're capable of protecting ourselves."

Tobi laughed. "From a group with guns and the strength of the old Yakuza? I think not," he chirped. "Now go join him before all of your food is gone. I don't think he's even chewing..."

Sasuke turned to watch Naruto practically inhale their food. "I'll make sure we head back to the estate soon. I'm sure you have a family to get back to."

The Akatsuki member leaned back in his chair. "I do have a daughter to put to bed. And I don't think Matsuri will be happy with me coming home later for dinner. She might force me to sleep on the couch again."

Sasuke smiled lightly. "You'll tell them I said hello, yes?"

Tobi perked up. "Hai! Of course!"

xXxXx

Haruka's fingers stopped in the middle of the sentence he was reading over in his novel, his head turning toward the front door as it opened. He saw a dull hue of yellow within his vision of black and muttered a "tadaima", knowing that it had to be Naruto and Sasuke returning home from their date. There was a loud shuffling sound, then Naruto let out a pleasing grunt as he stretched.

"That was nice, wasn't it, Sasuke? We should do--" there was a pause. "Silo... what are you wearing?"

Haruka glanced to the right, where he knew Majik and Silo were playing "dress up". He couldn't see anything, but he had heard his black and white-haired friend mutter something about pretty dresses and strip clubs during the past thirty or so minutes. He would admit he was somewhat curious as to what his boyfriend had on...

Silo blushed prettily in front of the couch and crossed his arms over his chest, poorly hiding his state of dress from the adults. His cheeks were dusted pink and he looked away as he fidgeted, the black dress he had on fluttering around his knees. There were no straps on the material and it wrapped snuggly around his girlish frame, his hair framing his cheeks perfectly. His legs were smooth and a creamy pale, and he had on high heels, which looked pretty uncomfortable.

"I promised Majik I'd play a game with him... and I don't break promises," was all the small crow said before he pushed out his bottom lip to give his blond-haired father a pout that rivaled even his. "I look ridiculous, don't I?"

"No, you look nice," Naruto grinned.

Silo huffed. "Otosan?"

Sasuke snorted in amusement and kicked off his shoes, running delicate fingers over his glossy hair. "You start to look more like a daughter instead of a son as the days go by."

The black-haired teen whined and tugged at the hem of the dress, turning to Majik. "Can I take this off now? It's uncomfortable and I'd like to go help Itachi-san with his luggage. The wedding ceremony is this weekend, remember?"

"Oh, I remember, Little Miss," Majik grinned and ran a nail down his friend's exposed back, receiving a yelp in response. "I'm just tryin' to keep ya busy right now. Mr. Weasal and my Onisan are knockin' boots at the moment, and I doubt ya wanna walk in on that?" he smiled brightly and tugged on a lock of Silo's dark hair.

Silo blushed furiously and shook his head.

"Hmmm, well, we're going to bed," Naruto waved his hand in the air absently. "So have fun with your dress up games and remember you start school again tomorrow. Your uniforms are somewhere in the laundry room, so go find 'em when you're done. G'night!" and then the male trotted off to his room with a chuckling Sasuke right behind him.

Opening their door, Naruto heaved a sigh and immediately began unbuttoning his shirt, happy to be able to rest in his soft and cozy bed. Oh, how he adored that Tempur-Pedic mattress. Tossing his shirt onto the floor, he went into a diving position and jumped, hitting the soft mattress with a satisfied grunt.

"Enjoying yourself?" Sasuke asked with a smirk.

"Hmmm," Naruto hoisted himself up into a sitting position and gave his lover a toothy smile, his long canines making him look like a predator in the Savannah. "I'd rather be enjoying you, **Sasuke**," his voice was deep and husky, making the raven's breath hitch.

Was it ok to have sex on the second date?

Frowning at his idiotic and teenager-like thought, Sasuke removed his own shirt and neatly folded it on the dresser so he could take it to the washing room later. He was in no hurry to get in bed with the blond, since he'd only be molested. It was like that every night since Naruto had become more accustomed to having a male for a lover. But Sasuke had recently started thinking...

"Do you think you're ready?"

Naruto's grin slipped off of his face and he blinked his cerulean eyes. "Ready?"

Sasuke started unbuckling his belt, sliding it through the loops on his pants. "To have sex. I'd never really had to ask Sanji-sensei if he'd wanted to... he'd already had a preference for men and women, and sex was something that just happened between us. But it's not the same with you... This would be the first time you'd have sex with a man."

The blond scratched at the back of his head and laughed nervously, shifting into a more comfortable position. "Thanks for reminding me you've had butt-sex before, Teme."

The raven's eyes softened a bit. "I'm sorry."

"Nah, it's fine. We can't all be sexual butterflies, ya know? I guess this'll be my time to change from a chubby straight caterpillar, to a flaming homosexual monarch butterfly!"

"... That was a terrible metaphor. I'll bet the family estate that you were a horrible English student in high school," Sasuke snorted, while Naruto huffed childishly on the bed. "And what do you mean by me being a sexual butterfly? I've had sex with one person, you've had sex with--"

"I lost count at thirty," Naruto proudly stated with a triumphant smirk. "But don't worry, I wore protection each and every time."

Sasuke's lips twitched. "That's very lovely. But to get to the point, I want to know if you're ready or not. I'm not going to force you into anything you don't believe you're ready for. Honestly, I could wait a few years if that's how long it would take."

"Jeez, Uchiha, how long do you think it takes to get used to a penis and no breasts?" Naruto laughed. "And I don't plan on making you wait that long," he leaned forward on the bed and reached a slightly muscled arm out, grabbing onto the elastic waist of Sasuke's black boxers right after he'd folded them and placed them with his discarded shirt. "Because tonight's as good as any other night to change into a butterfly."

Sasuke's heart sped up, but he let a small laugh slip past his lips. He loved how dorky his boyfriend was. It was never a flaw, just like Naruto would say, but a quirk. "Dobe," he teased and let himself be pulled forward, large hands rubbing innocently against the skin above his hips. The fingers were calloused, but they felt good against his pale flesh.

Naruto got up onto his knees and moved his hands up, warming up the cool Uchiha's skin with his palms. They roamed over his sides, then up his chest, past his collarbone, then rested on each cheek, a finger brushing away a loose strand of black hair. It was strange, yet funny, how the mood could change from light and humorous to thick and lustful so quickly...

Before Sasuke could even think, lips were on his and he moaned into a hot mouth as his body was pulled flush against Naruto's, fingers tangling into his neat raven locks.

This was it. What he'd thought about for the past eleven years, even while he was in his coma... Those nails digging softly into the back of his scalp belonged to the man he'd longed to be with for so long, and that thought alone sent a jolt of arousal down his spine, straight to his groin.

"Naruto," his voice cracked as those soft lips trailed across his left cheek, down his jaw, and to his throat. A wet tongue darted out to taste the flesh and Sasuke shivered, his blunt nails digging into the biceps of his lover, leaving half-crescent marks in the tan skin. As the slick muscle swiped at his neck, to the pulse that blood flowed through, Sasuke's mind became more unfocused. Naruto hadn't even gotten below the waist yet...

The blond male's hands ran from Sasuke's messy hair, to his hips, and teeth grazed a collar bone, eliciting a delightful whimper from the youngest Uchiha. Naruto snickered against the bone and rubbed his thumb across the width of his boyfriend's smooth hip. Leaning back, he tugged at the elastic waistband of Sasuke's boxers, looking up at said raven with a lopsided grin and perverted gleam in his blue eyes.

"Wanna give me a show, Teme?"

And before he could even get a proper response, he was shoved back onto the bed and Sasuke was straddling him, a tent in his boxers. The black-eyed man bent over and took Naruto's mouth into a fierce kiss, teeth scraping together and tongues pressing together in the most intimate of ways.

"Mmmghn," Naruto's words were muffled as a pale hand reached between their bodies and slithered underneath his pants, to wrap around a throbbing cock. He jerked at the contact and hissed at how cold Sasuke's hands were, but he enjoyed it nonetheless, urging the man on with whispered words in his ear once his mouth was free of Sasuke's. "Mm, I guess it's good we're both experienced."

Sasuke pumped the large member in his hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world, his back still arched gracefully and his bangs covering parts of his face perfectly. He smirked as he fisted the rigid flesh and tugged the pants and boxers downward toward Naruto's ankles. "I'm not the type of person to make love the first time."

"I'm not complaining. That's too cliche, anywa--Ngnn," Naruto grunted toward the end as Sasuke rubbed his small thumb over his slit, rubbing pre-cum around the head. Oh, how he was happy he had such a slutty boyfriend in bed. He couldn't even remember how long it had taken to get a few of his ex-girlfriends to give him a handjob, but Sasuke had gotten on the task right away.

_I feel like I've wanted this forever_... Sasuke removed his hand and slid up that muscled body, wrapping his arms around Naruto's neck. God, he'd wanted him for so long and he finally had him against his body, their lips melting together in a heated kiss. He'd thought he'd never be able to reach him...

Because it usually never ended well when you fell in love with a straight man.

"**Sasuke**," Naruto growled out the name darkly, biting at Sasuke's bottom lip. His hands ran down a smooth back and dipped underneath the silky boxers, rough fingers gripping the actor's ass firmly. It was his first time with a man, but the lust and love was so much stronger than it'd ever been with a woman, even Silo's mother.

Sasuke's hand ran down a scarred cheek and stopped at the nape of his neck, pulling him forward for a soft and gentle kiss. Their erections were aching, but for some reason, they just couldn't make the kiss any deeper. The soft contact of abused lips made their whole bodies tingle in a way that was more earth-shattering than before.

They'd said they preferred not to make love, but it seemed their minds were slowly changing the longer they touched each other and blue orbs made contact with obsidian. Their relationship was indeed an odd one; emotions like rapid fire when it came to them. Yet, love was the only feeling that remained constant and undaunted between the two.

Naruto ended their soft caress of lips and smiled handsomely. "Maybe I do want to be a little cliche tonight," he whispered in a warm tone. "I just can't bring myself to do anything more. Is it odd... to think of you as something precious, that I want to handle with care?"

Sasuke's stomach did a flip and he pressed his forehead against his lover's. "It just means you're madly in love with me," he tried to smirk, but was only able to pull off a simple up-turn of his lips. Once the words left his mouth, he could see (right before his eyes) Naruto's cerulean eyes take on a lighter shade of blue. They looked just like the ocean, contained inside of the glossiest of marbles.

"I am..." Naruto grinned and pulled Sasuke closer to him, as if the mere thought of being insanely in love with the Uchiha was the greatest thing in the entire world. "I am madly in love with you," he then pulled him into another kiss and got back up onto his knees, smoothly pushing Sasuke down on the bed and running his large hands along his sides, to his hips.

The raven made a soft sound between a moan and a sigh when those lips left his, the tingling still remaining. He could faintly hear Naruto kicking off his pants that'd been around his ankles behind the ringing in his ears, blood pumping faster than normal. But he did definitely take notice to how his boxers were slowly pulled down his legs, the material tickling his shaved legs.

Lips were pressed against the center of his chest, leaving wet open-mouthed kisses against his flushed skin. They trailed over to Sasuke's right nipple and a tongue darted out to moisten the pink nub, goosebumps wracking the actor's entire body at that one single sensation. He lifted his feminine hands and threaded his fingers through blond locks, trying to press that hot mouth closer, his penis leaking in anticipation for what was to come.

"Naruto..." he whispered the name once again, like a chant as the other man sucked and nipped at his skin, going lower and lower until he was just above the soft, black curls that were nestled around his member.

Naruto looked up at him with mirth dancing in his eyes, then took hold of the leaking muscle, giving it an experimental lick. After a moment, he lowered his head and ran his long tongue up the underside, reveling in the delightful moan that errupted from Sasuke's rosy lips. The taste of the cum wasn't too bitter, nor was it sweet. It tasted exactly how sex smelled, and Uzumaki Naruto loved the smell of sex.

Giving one final lick, he hoisted himself up and loomed over Sasuke's body, eyes roaming over the smaller body and perfectly curved dick. He grinned and pressed a hand on Sasuke's thigh, slowly moving it between his spread legs.

"Tell me if I do anything wrong. Or if I do anything you really like," he purred smoothly.

"For one, you forgot some lube," Sasuke chuckled breathlessly.

"..." Naruto huffed and quickly climbed off the bed, going to their dresser to find some hand lotion. "Way to ruin the moment, Teme."

"What? I wasn't going to let you fuck me dry," the raven smirked and Naruto turned to give him a fish face, stunned at the vulgar language. "Just get some lotion and hurry back."

"Che, sure."

Opening one of the smaller dressers on the left, he found a bottle of Sweet Pea lotion and quickly returned to Sasuke's side, pouring some into his hand before tossing the bottle somewhere on the bedroom floor and coating his fingers in the cold substance. He was so aroused that he was almost in pain and he was sure the same went for Sasuke, if his dark red dick was any indication.

Placing a soft kiss on his lover's lips, he slipped a wet finger between Sasuke's legs and rubbed his fingertip around the tight hole there, watching thin eyebrows knit together. Slipping a finger in, he sat back and watched it sink in. Pulling it back out, he watched the pucker clench and unclench as if it ached to have that finger back.

"Fuck, that's hot..." Naruto mumbled to himself and pushed the finger back in, thrusting it in and out slowly to see what reaction he could get.

Sasuke moaned softly and tried to move against that finger. He hadn't had sex since he was seventeen and that single digit felt like heaven inside of him, rubbing at his insides. With a grunt, he asked Naruto to add another and the blond did as he was told, a second finger slipping in next to the first. They both pistoned in and out at a steady speed, loosening Sasuke's pucker.

"Mmmngh," Sasuke spread his legs a little more.

"Hmm, I think that's good enough," Naruto gave one more firm thrust before pulling his digits out. "And I don't think I need a condom... unless you have some sort of STD I don't know about."

Sasuke attempted to glare at him from under his long lashes, but he only managed to look like a pouting female. His lips were parted as he breathed in and out, his thin frame making Naruto believe he could break him if he was too rough. The Uchiha was thirty-years-old, but he was so thin and pale, which worried Naruto to some degree. He knew it was a family trait, but it had him wondering how well Sasuke would do if he got really ill.

"Quit staring and get on with it," Sasuke pulled Naruto over him forcefully, yanking him down for a deep and passionate kiss. The blond didn't hesitate in using his still wet hand to slick up his own manhood, pre-cum leaking from the head. A bead of it dropped onto Sasuke's naval as he moved back and alligned himself with the prepared hole.

Pulling apart for air, they both panted and Naruto could swear he could hear Sasuke's heart beating a hundred miles an hour in his chest. Slowly, he pressed forward and groaned when the head of his penis pushed through the clenching muscle. The first thing he took notice of was how hot the man beneath him was, his skin and insides almost scorching hot against his own.

"S-Sasuke," he gritted his teeth and pushed forward when the dark-haired male muttered a 'deeper', his hard shaft sinking in deeper until he was completely nestled inside of the other. If this was what it was going to be like every single time they had sex, then he didn't know if he'd be able to handle it. Sasuke was a lot tighter than any woman he'd ever been with.

Wrapping his arms around Naruto's neck, Sasuke clung to him and breathed against the tan, sweaty neck that was exposed to him. "Move," he growled. After a split second, he almost regretted his plea because when Naruto pulled out, it sent a ripple of pain up his spine.

_Shit, he's big... _he winced as Naruto pulled almost completely out, then pushed back in smoothly. He ignored the pain for a few seconds before it subsided into a dull throb and the sensation of his ass being full replaced the ache with pleasure.

"Gah!" Sasuke snapped his eyes shut when Naruto managed to sink in deeper than before. Breathing out shakily, he gripped onto the blond tighter. "M-move faster. I'm not some fragile woman, you won't hurt me," he whispered against his ear and almost yelped in surprise and pleasure when hips were pulled away then slammed against his ass once again.

It seemed like there was no telling Naruto to do things twice.

And Sasuke definitely liked that...

He also liked how hard Naruto was pounding into him... as well as how he rubbed against his prostate with almost every thrust. Now, if his angle would shift just a bit...

"A-ahhh!" he arched off of the mattress when Naruto happened to shift oh so conveniently and shove the blunt head of his cock right against his prostate. "Ngnnn, right there!"

Naruto smirked as he started to get a hang of things. Having sex with a guy wasn't so different from sex with a woman... Sasuke just lacked breasts and a vagina. But Naruto was the kind of guy who enjoyed small breasts anyway, so it wasn't that big of a change.

Leaning over, he pressed Sasuke into the mattress and sped up his movements, snaking his hand down between them to grab a hold of the raven's leaking dick. A raspy moan fluttered against his ear and he began rubbing up and down, wanting to pleasure Sasuke more than anything.

Arching again, Sasuke bit his bottom lip and released a long and gutteral moan that cwas probably heard by all the occupants in the house who were within a five yard radius. His mouth hung open as he was rammed into, moans, mewls, and whimpers being released into the air almost every half-second.

Naruto craned his neck and bit down on the junction between Sasuke's neck and shoulder, drawing out a delicious whimper. "Come on, you can moan louder than that," he cooed, enjoying his lover's sexual sounds. He didn't care if anyone else in the house heard. Jerking at Sasuke's member harder and faster, he received a breathy wail right next to his ear, the sound sending a shiver down his spine.

"N-Naruto-- Oh god!" Sasuke yanked the blond's face toward his and kissed him deeply, biting down on the other's bottom lip almost viciously, drawing a bit of blood. Then there was a moment where everything went silent except for the ringing in his ears and the sound of Naruto's deep breathing... "A-ahhh!" and Sasuke came, pleasure shaking him to the core.

Naruto groaned as he watched Sasuke's sperm shoot out and fall onto his stomach and lower chest, his abdominal muscles contracting beneath his sweaty, pale skin. He shifted and gripped onto Sasuke's hips, shoving himself into the shaking body at least eight more times before he bit down on his bottom lip and his eyelashes fluttered just barely. Then his nails dug into ivory skin and he came deep inside of the raven's channel, all of his muscles tightening.

Sasuke moaned softly and closed his eyes, his breath coming out in a pants. His heart was beating loudly in his ears, but he could still hear Naruto's soft and comforting chuckle beside him once he collapsed next to him.

"Huh, that was better than I thought it would be."

Sasuke glared at the ceiling and reached over, yanking on Naruto's hair playfully. "Shut up, Usuratonkachi."

"Itai," Naruto grumbled and shoved his face into the crook of Sasuke's neck, sighing in contentment. "Asshole... I love you."

Smiling slightly, Sasuke rolled on his side, completely ignoring the sticky mess on his stomach, chest, and legs. He was exhausted and he was too lazy to get up to shower, so he draped himself over his lover, closing his eyes.

"I love you too..." he whispered, but loud snores were already filling the still bright room. Sighing, he clapped his hands together and the lights went off immediately. "Good night, Dobe."

Silo blushed hotly as he stood in front of Naruto and Sasuke's room, freshly dried clothes folded neatly in his arms. He squeaked loudly and jumped a few inches in the air when a puff of air was blown against his neck. Turning around quickly, he saw Majik standing there in PJ bottoms that were basically black with a bunch of brightly colored patches on it.

"M-Majik," he stuttered.

"It looks like someone's a voyeur," the Norwegian cackled. 

"N-n-no!" Silo blushed even more, his ears turning bright red. "I-I just wanted to give them their clothes..." he trailed off and looked down, clutching the warm clothes to his chest. He looked so small while holding the huge stack of shirts and pants.

Majik grinned. "Come on, Little Miss, let's give 'em their privacy and put these clothes in the washroom. Then we can play Mario Galaxy again!" he threw his fists in the air.

Silo smiled softly. "Ok... but can we play some WWII games, too?... I'm actually getting better at it and I want to improve..." he seemed so soft-spoken at that moment and Majik actually smiled and reached forward to ruffle his hair.

"Sure, now we're talkin'! Let's shoot us some Nazis!"

Silo laughed.

"And some Japs, too!" Majik added.

"H-hey!"

"Just kiddin'," then the black and white-haired teen ran off down the hall, laughing like an idiot, followed by Silo who was still clutching the washed clothes to his chest.

**This took forever :dies: so you guys better review!**


	45. One Step Back

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Please review! They keep me going and prevent me from putting any of my stories on hiatus! XD**

**Also, my birthday's on April 11th! Imma be 17 :grin: Oh yeah, I can see rated R movies my myself!**

Naruto pressed his right cheek against the clean glass window of Deidara's sleek car, bright blue eyes watching the horses running across the plains just along the highway. It was Saturday morning and the sun was the brightest it'd been in weeks, not a single cloud in the sky save for the tiny wisp of white behind the low hills in the distance. In Naruto's opinion, it was the perfect day for a wedding and he was sure Itachi and Hidan were happy with the dates they'd picked to have theirs on.

In the front, Deidara looked down at a crumpled road map and smirked as they approached a side road, making a sharp turn onto it without the least bit of a warning for his passengers. Next to him, Sasori frowned and held onto the bottom of his seat to keep his head from slamming into the window. The other people in the car weren't as lucky to have something to hold onto.

"What the fuck was that?.!" Majik complained loudly and hoisted himself off of a disgruntled Haruka.

Silo pouted at him and sat up straight. "You don't have to curse, Majik," he scolded in a sightly motherly tone and the Norwegian teenager sent him a look of disbelief. The crow thought it was because of what he said and he quickly apologized, smiling nervously. His relationship with Majik had been a little bumpy for the past two days, but he didn't know why...

Majik ran his fingers through his hair and sat back, sighing. "Don't apologize," he almost hissed. He was starting to get angry with himself for loving Silo. The closer he got to him, the stronger the emotions swirled around in his head, and he wondered if he could resist the temptation of a kiss if a moment would come where they would be alone. And just the sound of Silo's voice being so... motherly made him cringe. He didn't want the crow to morph into some kind of parent-like figure.

Haruka could sense the tension between them and he pursed his lips together. He knew Majik liked Silo, and he knew there was a chance that Silo liked Majik, but... he didn't want to accept it, and he wouldn't let anything form between them at this getaway, if it were the last thing he ever did. His jealous and possessive side was beginning to grow more and more as the days went by, it seemed.

"What's with you guys?" Naruto asked, rubbing his forehead that'd smacked against the window. "You've been all tense for the past few days. Is there some kind of love triangle going on here?" he teased with a mocking grin.

Silo tilted his head to the side in confusion.

Majik and Haruka turned their heads in different directions, their expressions those of guilty criminals. They felt horrible for leaving Silo in the dark, but it was better to leave him oblivious to everything... Wasn't it?

xXxXxXx

"Wai! This place is so big!" Naruto ran through the springs with much gusto, peaking through twisted branches to look into the steaming hot springs that basically made up the building. The place was completely empty except for them and the other Akatsuki members who'd arrived earlier, the building having been rented out by Kakuzu, the group's "accountant". "Where's the ceremony taking place?" he asked the charming young woman that was showing them around.

"In the prayer room," she answered sweetly. "The owner believes that a marriage ceramony should take place where the gods can witness it."

Sasuke snorted to himself. If the gods were to witness the combining of the Uchiha and Shungiku family, he was sure they'd strike them down immediately. As of late, those two family names meant nothing but trouble. They were basically the kickstands for the underground drug ring.

"Ano!" Tobi raised his hand eagerly. "Can you show us where our rooms are? My wife and daughter are going to be here soon and I'd like to make sure things are put away..." he blushed lightly, holding his orange mask to his chest. He didn't put it on because he wanted to respect the woman.

"Of course," she chirped and led everyone down a wooden hallway, paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling and old traditional Japanese paintings on the walls. "The owner has placed you in different sleeping quarters around the building for safety precautions, so everyone will be in a different hallway. Also..." she trailed off and looked at them nervously. "Because of a special request from the happy couple... you will each have two Yakuza members guarding your rooms."

Naruto paled. He'd completely forgotten about that.

Sasuke noticed this and placed a hand on his lover's shoulder. "Don't worry. I've known everyone in the Yakuza since I was thirteen. They consider the Uchiha's as family, so I'm sure they wouldn't harm you. Believe it or not, the Akatsuki are more dangerous than they are, so you have nothing to worry about."

"Ugh, that didn't help one bit," the blond grumbled, following the short girl through various more hallways.

After dropping off most of the group to their specified hallways, only Naruto and Sasuke were left, the kids having been placed in a large room in the European hallway. Majik had practically gone into spasms when he saw that, smiling brightly as he traced his hands over the map of Europe on the wall, pointing out his birth place in Norway.

"And this is the hallway that Uchiha-san chose for the both of you!" the woman held out her hand toward a hall that resembled that of western America. To Sasuke, it reminded him of fields, blue skies, farms, and friendly neighbors. Wondering why his brother would choose this hallway, he turned his head toward Naruto, surprised to find his boyfriend staring with shimmering eyes at something that was there, but he couldn't see himself.

"Naruto?" he asked hesitently.

The blond walked forward and ran his hands along the wall, his fingers tracing over the prints of rivers and mountains. His lips were stretched up as far as they could go, his laughter soft and melodious. Turning, he looked at Sasuke and beckoned for him to walk over.

Sasuke excused himself and the woman bowed, heading off somewhere upstairs.

"What has you so happy?"

"My father," was Naruto's breathy reply. "When my dad and I came to America from Japan, he worked his ass off to buy this really nice house out in the middle of Oklahoma. It was surrounded by dozens of fields and farms..." he was lost in his memories at that point. "All of our neighbors were so nice and they let me help take care of their farm animals... I loved it there in the middle of nowhere..." he blinked and retracted his hand from the wall. "This hall makes me think of that place... As much as I loved it... I hated it, too... It's sort of funny that Itachi chose this hall. I'd never thought of my dad much until now..."

Shaking aside his suspicious feelings, Sasuke smiled fondly. "You never did tell me about your parents or family. As far as I knew, you hatched from an egg in the middle of nowhere."

Naruto scowled. "Nice one, ass hole. I just... don't like talking about my family since a majority of the Uzunaki family tree is either dead, dying, or have moved away somewhere where I can't find them. We were never a close-knit family."

"I see..."

"Sort of like yours?" Naruto thought about that. "But at least you have your brother. I haven't had anyone since I was seven."

Sasuke almost flinched. He'd been alone for that long?

"But I'll tell you about that later, ok? I want to have a look around and I want to see if I can find a shortcut to Silo's room," the blond grinned. "I have to make sure he and Haruka don't do the nasty, if you know what I mean."

Sasuke's lips twitched. "You told me you were fourteen the first time you had sex, dobe. You have no right to tell him he can't do anything. And there's no chance he could pregnant, so don't worry so much."

"That's true... Well then, we might as well just go into our rooms and relax until dinner's ready," Naruto stretched, his arms reaching up high and his shoulders popping loudly. Sasuke hid a disgusted look with a frown and mumbled an 'idiot' before heading into their spacious room.

It was set up like the usual room in a five-star American hotel, the walls a peach color, with wisps of light tan leaves printed randomly about the room. The curtains were white, the bed was a king with creamy cinnamon-colored blankets and pillows. In the corner of the room were steps that led down into a floor-level jacuzzi that was humming loudly in preparation for Naruto and Sasuke.

"Wow..." Naruto mouthed and stepped over to flip on the light switch, his eyes brightening considerably as he watched bubbles rise to the top of the water. He then smirked and flipped the lights off as quickly as he'd turned them on, receiving an odd look from his lover.

"What're you doing?" the raven asked, shrugging off his light jacket and tossing it onto the reading chair in the corner.

Naruto sauntered over to his boyfriend and wrapped his arms around his waist, craning his neck forward to lick underneath the pale man's jaw. He kissed the skin there and grinned cheekily. "Why don't we take a quick dip before dinner?" he purred.

Sasuke resisted the strong urge to blush and scoff at the tall blond, his lips twitching at the pleasurable feel of Naruto's lips on his flesh.

"Only if you promise not to splash water everywhere," the Uchiha smirked cockily.

Naruto pouted. "Teme, I'm not a kid. Like I'm going to play around in a jacuzzi, anyway, I'll be too busy molesting you," he cooed, leading Sasuke over to the heated water. He slowly unbuttoned the man's top, kissing along a creamy neck at the same time. Enjoying the slight intake of breath from the other, he slid the material down thin arms and dropped it to the floor, quickly moving to unfasten his leather belt.

Sasuke reached back and ran his fingers through shaggy, yellow hair. "Naruto," he murmured almost silently, turning his head to the side to press pink lips against rosy ones. God, he loved how soft and warm they were.

Throwing the belt to the side, he yanked down the dress pants and smacked Sasuke's ankle so he would step out of the legs. Once that was done with, he moved them to the side and deepened their kiss, pushing his tongue into the mint-flavored cavern of his lover's. He could never get enough of Sasuke's taste, sucking on the bottom lip with vigor.

"Go ahead and get in," Naruto pulled back and whispered into the raven's ear. Watching the younger Uchiha step into the hot water, he saw his slender body tingle from the heat and smirked. Oh, how he was going to enjoy teasing him. He then proceeded to strip himself of his own clothes, save for his boxers, and stepped into the water, too.

Sasuke immediately wrapped his arms around Naruto's shoulders and pressed his half-naked body against the other's. He crashed his mouth against the blond's and moaned into the heated kiss, lust fogging his mind. One minute, he'd been reluctant to get in, but now he was glad he hadn't said no.

Ending the kiss with a nip to Sasuke's bottom lip, Naruto kissed his cheek and reached down to fondle the growing bulge in his lover's damp boxers, earning himself a deep moan that echoed in the large room. A knock to their door ended their "sexcapades", though, and the both of them growled in annoyance and anger.

Moving back from Naruto and sitting in the water, Sasuke scowled. "Come in," he hissed through clenched teeth, his erection already withering away.

Silo peaked his head in and smiled timidly, blushing a bit at his parents' undressed state. On his own frame was a black, silky yukata that was a bit too big for his girlish frame, giving him a fragile and delicate appearance. Pushing the door open more, he reached up and brushed his bangs out of his eyes.

"Hidan wanted me to tell you guys to hurry up, since Tobi's family's here and they want to meet you. U-Um, I'm sorry I bothered you..."

"Nah, it's fine. It's not like I was putting the moves on Sasuke or anything," Naruto snickered, sinking down to his neck in the simmering water. "Why don't you tell everyone we'll be down in a few minutes. We're going to soak in here for a bit, then head on down."

"Ok," Silo hid his blush and closed the door as he trotted off down the hall, squealing loudly as he was lifted onto the shoulders of a laughing Majik.

Turning to his lover, Sasuke snorted. "You seduce me into this hot tub, only to make me get out two minutes afterward? You're a horrible boyfriend, dobe," he teased, enjoying the childish expression on Naruto's face.

"Just enjoy the bubbles and shut up, ass hole," Naruto scoffed.

xXxXx

Down in the main hall, Tobi helped carry his wife's small suitcase to the elevator with one hand and ruffled his daughter's short hair with the other, smiling at her high-pitched giggles. She had black hair and chocolate-colored eyes, a pink sun dress and light salmon sweater wrapped around her. Skipping around her dad, she reached forward and grabbed her mother's hand.

"Papa, where am I staying?" she asked quietly.

"With me and your mom, of course!" Tobi chirped in reply. "You can snuggle between us, just like a puppy," he smiled brightly at his daughter's cheerful laughter.

His wife, an auburn-haired woman, laughed airily and her light hazel eyes shimmered. She was indeed a beauty, her lithe body covered in a white sundress that matched her daughter's in appearance. A pair of sunglasses were on top of her head and her wavy hair was pulled back in a long ponytail, showing off the small birthmark on the back of her neck.

"Tobi, you know how you snore. I don't think Tooku would sleep too well," Matsuri teased with a beautiful smile. Her husband blushed and scratched at the back of his head bashfully, looking at his stunning wife with a shy smile.

"I've been using those nasal strips..."

"I was only joking, sweetheart," she cooed and leaned forward to kiss him softly on the lips, smiling. She loved Tobi dearly and adored how shy he was all the time.

"Woo! Who's that hottie? Is that Matsuri?.!" Hidan leaped down the steps cheerfully and grinned. "I haven't seen you in ages! How have you been?.!" he approached them and bent down to poke Tooku's rosy cheek, causing the girl to grab his finger and glare. She wasn't too fond of the groom to be.

"I've been fine," Matsuri smiled. "I've just been so busy with my magazine articles lately that I've been getting bags under my eyes," she complained in a soft manner. "And being pregnant isn't helping at all," she laughed.

Hidan's violet eyes widened. "Y-You're pregnant again?.! I can't even tell!"

"Yes, with another baby girl," she rubbed her hand over her stomach. "But I just found it last week, actually. You know technology these days, Hidan. The doctor told me what gender the baby was even without a sonogram."

"Hot damn..." the silver-haired male snapped his fingers. "Good luck with another girl, you two. This one here's already a huge enough brat," he smirked.

Tooku puffed her cheeks out and yanked harshly on Hidan's ear, earning a yelp from him.

The sound of footsteps on the stairs alerted everyone and Matsuri looked up, almost squealing in delight when she saw Naruto and Sasuke coming down the stairs in casual clothing, their hair still damp from the jacuzzi. Covering her mouth with her small hands, she rushed forward.

"Uzumaki-san, Uchiha-san..." she breathed as if her life depended on it, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the two gentlemen, her eye reflecting their confused and slightly scared expressions. "I am so glad to know that you two have come back into the acting business," she whispered happily. "Everyone in Japan, including me, thought you were dead, Uchiha-san... And Uzumaki-kun, everyone was told that you'd gone back to America after he'd passed away..."

"Well, that part's the truth," Naruto grinned nervously. "And I'd thought he was dead, too, but my Teme's too strong-willed, aren't you," he looked over at Sasuke and received a cocked eyebrow.

"Are you a fan of ours? I remember Tobi saying something along the lines of you being an obsessive stalker?"

Matsuri's cheeks turned pink and she shook her head furiously, her ponytail slipping over her shoulder. "N-no, not obsessive... but I am a huge fan of yours Uchiha-san... and I adored the movie you two did together. It was so heart-wrenching... You two have wonderful chemistry on film together."

Naruto's cheeks lifted up high as he smiled, reminding the woman of a fox. "That's probably because Sasuke was in love with me back then. And like Itachi told me once, I was 'unconsciously in love with Sasuke'. If that even makes sense. But if you think that movie was good, just see what we have in store next."

Matsuri's honey eyes widened considerably. "You're already going to make another movie?"

"A-ano... Matsuri?" Tobi called.

"Not right now, dear," she crooned, eyes still glued on the actors. "Please tell me what it is!"

Someone cleared their throat from the other side of the room and everyone shut up, turning to see Itachi standing next to man with a shaved head and a cigarette sticking out from between his lips. His eyes were squinted as he gnawed on the cancer stick, as if evaluating something.

"Good evening, brats," the unknown man crossed his arms and scuffed the hardwood floor with his boot as he walked past Itachi, the weasal's face impassive. "I thought I'd let you all know dinner was ready."

Hidan swallowed nervously and cowered behind Naruto, trying to avoid the gaze of the older man.

"I already saw you, Hidan," he smirked around the cigarette. "Why are you hiding? Afraid of me?"

The Akatsuki member stood up straight and glared at him, trying hard not to show Itachi how scared he really was. "Don't flatter yourself, Kannagi," he snarled. "I was just inspecting a stain on Kinpachi's shirt."

Naruto snickered at the lame excuse, yelping when he was pinched.

"Well then, I'm sure you wouldn't mind it if I decided to join you and Itachi-san this evening after dinner? I'd like to talk to you about the union between the Yakuza and Akatsuki," his smirk became darker.

"N-not at all," Hidan lied through his teeth.

"Good," Kannagi said. "Now, everyone head off to the dining hall. Everyone else is waiting. Itachi-san and I will be joining you all soon," he pulled out his cigarette and crushed it against his palm, not even wincing at the burning sensation. All the while, Itachi remained silent and stoic, not bothering to even make the slightest eye contact with Hidan. That fact startled the violet-eyed man in a way that nothing else could.

"Weasal-san...?"

"Come on, I'm starving!" Naruto bellowed, rubbing his stomach. "I haven't eaten all day and I could eat a frickin' Zebra!"

"I'll see you in the dining hall in a bit, Matsuri," Tobi chirped. "I'm going to take your luggage to our room."

The woman smiled pleasantly. "Alright, see you in a while," she took Tooku's hand and led her in the direction that everyone else was heading in.

But while everyone was leaving, Hidan remained where he was, utterly confused, yet very angry. He'd always been afraid of Kannagi ever since they'd met, because the Yakuza leader only brought bad news. When he'd met him, he'd been the one to tell Hidan that Itachi had almost died in a shooting over drugs. It's as if his very presence was bad luck...

And he knew deep down that this time was no different.

xXxXx

Hidan rubbed his temples as he gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. The candles in his and Itachi's traditional Japanese room flickered and cast their shadows upon the paper screen walls. He felt his head throb and the constant tapping of Kannagi's dragon cane on the wooden floor wasn't helping him one bit.

"How could this have happened?" Hidan seethed, Itachi very quiet next to him. "Oto and ANBU have never gotten along! Why would they form an alliance?.!"

"Calm down, Shoshin-sha," Kannagi sighed, resorting to an old nickname he'd always used for the other. "It's only the old ANBU, Roots, that has joined Orochimaru."

"Shoshin-sha?.!" Hidan slammed his fist down on the table and knocked over the fish sauce and green tea, the contents spilling all over the oak. "You're calling me a novice, when I've killed more men than you or any of your members?" he snarled. "I've may be younger than you, but I've seen a lot more than you ever will!"

"Hidan," Itachi warned. "Control yourself, he meant no harm with what he said."

Inhaling and sitting back, Hidan scowled. He wasn't in the best moods at the moment, and the fact that all of this new information was coming in as soon as he was about to get "married" pissed him off even more.

"Forgive me," he apologized to Kannagi. "Now tell me... Why did Roots join Oto?"

"They think that Oto will be able to take over the Akatsuki, then the entire underground drug system. So instead of remaining as a small drug society in Northern Japan, they decided to join Oto. Their leader, Danzo, wants to rule alongside Orochimaru in Tokyo," Kannagi laid his cane across his lap. "There are a lot of people in that organization, but we still have the advantage. While Roots has joined Orochimaru, the ANBU have made Itachi-san a proposition."

Hidan's head shot up and his eyes immediately connected with Itachi's. He could see the triumph flickering in those pitch black orbs, an emotion that hadn't been there before dinner... Meaning Kannagi probably hadn't told him the upside to the situation until afterward.

"What kind of proposition?"

"Their leader, Yamato, promises to aid loyal service to Itachi-san if he gives them a small fee of one million dollars. I believe it's worth it if you don't want your organization overrun. Also, look at the larger picture. Orochimaru could decide to work on a bigger scale and start moving his men above ground, to the city. Who knows, he could turn Japan into the modern-day Chicago."

"And make a mafia-like society?" Hidan snorted. "I'm sure the snake would do that, too. I say we take the offer," he spoke to his lover with resiliance written on his face.

Itachi suddenly smirked. "Of course."

_Orochimaru, we could make this battle as large as you want it. We could turn it into the next World War and it wouldn't matter one bit. You will not defeat an Uchiha, not again._

xXxXx

Naruto grumbled sleepily beside Sasuke and blinked open his cerulean eyes as knocking on the door woke him up. He sat up and glanced at the alarm clock by the bed, the green numbers reading 1:34 a.m. Climbing out of bed, he stood up and stretched, slowly trudging over to the door and opening it.

"Mmm?" he mumbled.

"Forgive me for waking you up, sir," a maid bowed. "But there's a phonecall for you down in the lobby. They say it's something important."

"Ugh, that's bullshit," the blond yawned loudly and wiped the sleep from his eyes, tugging on his robe that he had slung over the room's reading chair. Putting on slippers, he stepped out into the cold hall and moaned in exhaustion and annoyance. "Who'd try to get a hold of me this early in the damn morning? Fucktards, that's who," he complained to himself.

Going down the steps, he spotted the phone sitting on the small table by the front doors. Making his way to it, he leaned against the wall and muffled his yawn with a hand, putting the phone to his ear.

"Whoever this is, I hope you fuckin' get hit by a short bus," he growled.

"Naruto, it's Sai..." the voice on the other end sounded troubled.

The male's tired appearance slipped away almost instantly and he gripped the phone with two hands. "Sai? What is it? Did something happen? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine... It's just... I recieved a phonecall from someone a few minutes ago. I know there's a large time between here and Japan, but I thought it was really important," there was a slight pause, before the dark-haired man sighed on the other end. "Naruto, Sunako called."

Naruto stiffened and almost dropped the phone.

"Sunako called...? What did she want?"

He knew it couldn't be anything good.

"She wanted me to tell you that she's trying to gain custody of Silo..."

And Naruto's heart almost stopped in his chest.

**Oh noez, drama! Now we're back on track! XD**


	46. From This Point On

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Yes, sorry again for the long wait :sweatdrop: I had the stomach flu D: I'm sorry!**

**This chapter's dedicated to Sherry, because I didn't get to write her oneshot in time.**

Naruto's heart was pounding loud in his ears when he hit the hotel floor. The shock of what had just happened was hitting him full throttle and his body was frozen in fear. He didn't know what to do, he didn't know how he'd ever live without his son... without the very child he'd lived for since he'd held him in his arms in the emergency room fifteen years ago.

Staring up at the ceiling, he laid there for a good ten minutes, trying to imagine life without Silo. Just thinking about it had his chest aching and his fingers clutching the rug beneath him. He couldn't deal with it, not one bit.

_Why would she want him back? She left us, she didn't want him... _

A sudden shadow looming over him caused his eyes to focus and he looked up, his state of mind already in a panic. Since the lights above were glaring down at him, he could only see the faint outline of a slim figure, long hair, and a dangling silver necklace. But that was enough to send his mind reeling again; to a time before he'd met Sasuke, before he'd had Silo, before he'd even met Sunako...

"Mom," he whimpered in a pathetic voice. "What am I supposed to do? I almost lost Sasuke... I can't lose my son, too..."

A pair of frail hands reached down and pulled him up, his head spinning for a moment before he exhaled and closed his eyes. He was exhausted from the long day and lack of sleep, and the warmth of the other person was too comforting to pass up. He didn't even want to think anymore... so he let himself drift off, not even knowing who the person above him really was.

"Mom..." he whispered one last time before completely passing out.

Looking down at the slumbering blond, Itachi sighed.

"I am not your mother, Naruto-kun," he spoke softly, lifting Naruto up into his arms. He didn't even flinch at how much the actor weighed, carrying him up the stairs and down the hallway that led to where Sasuke should be. He was vaguely concerned about why Naruto was talking about losing Silo, but that was something Sasuke needed to ask about.

Hoisting the blond up into his arms, Itachi made his way up the stairs, past a few maids who were carefully lowering a cart of freshly washed bath towels down to the lobby. Once he got to the second floor, he turned down the hall where Naruto and Sasuke's room was and adjusted the blond's position in his arms.

Knocking on the door, he waited patiently for a few moments before a distraught and frazzled Sasuke answered. A look of relief flashed across his obsidian eyes when he saw his lover in Itachi's arms, but he was still worried as to why said man wasn't in bed with him when he'd woken up.

"Aniki," he whispered so not to wake Naruto. "Where was he? Did something happen?"

"I found him on the lobby floor, acting as if someone had died," the weasal's brows rose delicately. "I'm assuming you know nothing, judging by the blank expression you're wearing. He mentioned something about losing Silo, but the boy's safe in his room with the others. Hidan and I were just checking in on them a few minutes ago."

Sasuke eagerly held his arms out, so he could have Naruto back again. The man looked so tired and his face finally reflected his age for once.

"Do you know why he was out in the lobby to begin with?" he asked his older brother, bringing the slumbering actor into his welcoming arms. "When I woke up to go to the bathroom, he was missing..."

Itachi shook his head, his long hair brushing across his forearms.

"I do know he was on the phone, but I don't know why. That's something you should ask him yourself in the morning," the Akatsuki leader fingered the silver necklace around his neck, a little trinket Hidan had given him only an hour ago. "Now, I'm going to head off to bed. Keep an eye on your lover, Otouto."

"Yes..." Sasuke trailed off and looked down at Naruto exhausted face. "Good night."

_Naruto... Who called you? Why didn't they just call your cellphone?_

After his brother left, Sasuke closed the door and locked it quietly, gently maneuvering Naruto over to their plush bed and covering him up with the warm blankets. Skimming his fingers over the blond's neck for a brief instant, he walked over to the nightstand where his dobe's cellphone was.

Flipping it open, he saw that the screen was blank.

It was dead.

"Then whoever called the hotel phone must've tried to call his phone first..." he plugged the charger in and waited for the phone to turn on, anxious to know what was going on. As a child, he didn't like to be excluded from things, and that fact hadn't changed one bit.

Once the cell was on, he looked at the missed calls and Sai's name flashed at him. Apparently, the man had called Naruto seven times before giving up and finding an alternate number. Sasuke furrowed his brows and pushed 'call' next to Sai's name, pressing the phone to his ear.

_"...Naruto?"_

"Hirota," Sasuke pressed. "What happened? Naruto's asleep in bed right now, but my brother found him out in the lobby earlier, in shock. I want to know why," he almost growled. Now the protective side of him was bubbling to the surface.

_"Well... Please don't tell a lot of people. This is something Naruto-san wouldn't want out in the open... but..." _there was a pause. _"Sunako, his ex-girlfriend, called me earlier this evening, informing me that she was trying to gain back custody of Silo. I don't know why she didn't call Naruto-san herself, but... the point is that she wants Silo back. Besides you, he's all Naruto-san really has. Please don't let Sunako have him."_

The raven's eyes were wide in shock. There was no way possible that the woman who had abandoned her devoted lover and son was going to try and take back what was now rightfully **his**, Sasuke's. Gritting his teeth, he clutched the cell tightly, trying not to speak too loudly.

"Don't worry, she won't be getting Silo back. He's my son now."

Sai laughed lightly and tiredly on the other end.

_"That's good. When Naruto-san wakes up, tell him I'll always be there to help if he needs me."_

"I'm sure he'll be happy to hear that. I'll let you get to bed now, Hirota. Have a good night," Sasuke said politely, then hung up, satisfied with the answers he'd been given. He really found no need to be kind to Sai, no matter what the circumstances. Turning to the sleeping Naruto, he frowned.

He couldn't believe that woman would just randomly show up out of nowhere and try to take back her son who was now almost sixteen. Why would she want custody of him, when he would be an adult on just two years? It made no sense.

"Dobe, you shouldn't worry so much..." he whispered and sat next to Naruto, taking the large, tan hand in his. "She won't take away Silo, I'll make sure of that..."

Naruto only continued to sleep, his dreams wracked with faces of the past.

xXxXx

Hidan glanced up from the beer he was drinking and smiled toothily at his returning koibito. Sitting his bottle on the table next to their bed, he crossed his legs and fell back against the pillows, welcoming the strong scent of vanilla. When Itachi joined him in bed, he leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on the man's silky cheek.

"What took you so long?"

"I had to drop off a scared kitten," the weasal joked and peeled off the robe he'd had on. That one single movement had Hidan's amethyst eyes glinting in what looked like lust, his pearly whites bared for all the world to see. Snorting, Itachi pressed closer to his fiancee and inhaled his aroma of alcohol and springwater. It was an odd mixture, but just as arousing.

"Mmm, we haven't had sex in a while," Hidan purred. "How long has it been? A week?"

Itachi chuckled richly. "Five days."

"That's way too long," Hidan pushed himself up and leaned over the elder Uchiha, his slightly long silver bangs falling over his face, framing his high cheek bones. "I say we ruin this good bed," he growled in an alluring manner, "because I wanna fuck you into the mattress."

Itachi reached up and grabbed a fistful of soft hair, yanking down the handsome face of his soon-to-be husband. "Oh my, I'm frightened," his dark eyes danced in amusement. "Surely you wouldn't be so hard on me," his tongue ran along Hidan's well-defined jaw.

A shiver going up his spine, Hidan groaned. "You know you want it."

Itachi smirked.

"You were always the one to assume too much, Hidan. This could be one of those times."

Hidan growled and ground his hips down against his lover's, the friction sending a delightful shiver up his entire body. Oh, how he loved Itachi and his fucking mindgames. His smirk only widened when the raven beneath him groaned in pleasure, hot breath blowing against the side of his neck.

"Now I know you want it, Weasal-san," he cooed, bending down to take soft lips into a kiss that was loving and the complete opposite from the mood. While their actions were playful and lustful, their kiss was heart-felt and tender. Both of them closed their eyes at the simple and endearing gesture, moving their bodies in sync with the tempo their lips were making.

Hands were everywhere, but not ripping off clothes. They were roaming heated skin, feeling the softness of flesh, the warmth that the body produced.

"Hidan..." Itachi breathed huskily against Hidan's ear, his eyes half open. Arching his neck when a wet tongue ran a trail up his neck, he moaned softly and clutched onto his lover. God, he loved the other man. He breathed for him, fought for him, lived for him...

"I love you," Hidan whispered, his voice holding so much raw emotion that even his own heart swelled.

Itachi pulled Hidan down for another kiss, his reply loud and clear.

xXxXx

The next day, sunlight streamed through the windows and onto the beds of every single occupant in the hotel. It was as if a multitude of groans errupted at the same time, because Kannagi looked up from the papers he was reading in the main lobby, his piercing eyes clear, muttering a 'children these days'.

Yet even as everyone woke up from their first night in the hotel, the kids were the first ones up and rearing to go for the day. All three of them had on the traditional garbs they were to wear for the ceremony, but Silo looked the most stunning. His kimono was an array of different colors of blue, white cranes scattered about the material. His blue-black hair hung around his young face perfectly, his rosy lips contrasting brightly against his naturally light skin.

Majik couldn't keep his eyes off of his friend, despite his eagerness to turn away. Now that he was in the Akatsuki, he'd need to learn better self-control, and now was the perfect moment to start in his opinion. Pinching the skin on his wrist, he flinched and glanced down.

"I wish I could see what you look like in your kimono," Haruka smiled kindly. "I bet you're beautiful."

Majik almost hissed at the other male, but resisted from doing so.

Silo blushed cutely and moved the ends of his kimono sleeves up to hide his flushed cheeks. He was the perfect picture of innocence.

"N-n-not beautiful," the crow countered bashfully. "Definitely not beautiful..."

"You're kiddin' yourself, Little Miss," Majik snorted, plopping a hand down on his head of black hair. "Don't listen to him, Haru-ru, he's full of shit," he grinned. "He looks like any man's fantasy."

Silo's blush darkened ten fold. "M-Majik! I hardly doubt any man would fantasize about me!"

"Hey, I do!"

Haruka frowned.

Silo squawked. "M-Majik! Shut up!" he smacked the Norwegian on the back and huffed, his cheeks puffing out. He resembed a hamster that was stocking up on food for the winter.

Behind them, Sasuke cleared his throat and they all spun around, save for Haruka who slowly turned his head to the side. The raven was in a traditional outfit for a male, the material snug on his smaller frame. Beside him, Naruto had on a matching outfit, except the slip was open to reveal the center of his chest and a nice set of abs. But even though today was a joyous occasion, the blond looked on the verge of throwing up.

"Dad...?" Silo questioned, worried. He reached forward and placed a small hand on his father's arm. "Chichiue," he called again, when he didn't recieve a reply.

Blue eyes clashing with a matching pair, Naruto smiled crookedly. "M'sorry," he grumbled. "I didn't get much sleep last night..." he kept his gaze on his son and he shifted one hand to lay on Silo's. Squeazing, he inhaled shakily and let it go.

"But you look so sick," Silo pressed. "You should lay down before the ceremony begins. I don't want you to miss it."

"I'll be fine..." the blond ruffled his son's hair. "Hey, kiddo... why don't you sit with your Chichiue and Otosan today, huh?"

The crow smiled brightly. "Hai! You don't mind, do you, Haruka-kun? Majik?"

Haruka muttered a 'not at all' while Majik shrugged and blew a strand of hair out of his face.

"I'll be sittin' next to my Niisan, anyway, for the san-san-kudo."

"The ceremony's in a few minutes, so all of you should go get seated. Sasuke and I need to talk for a minute," Naruto tried to smile in a reassuring manner, but no one was fooled, not even Naruto himself. But no one questioned him, Haruka and Silo setting off in the direction of the Prayer Room with their fingers laced together.

Majik watched them leave, then turned his attention to Sasuke and Naruto who had stepped over to the wall farthest away from him. Curious to know what was bothering his favorite Aryan, he stealthily snuck around a few banisters and hid himself behind one that was close enough to the two adults where he could hear them.

"Naruto, you'll have to tell him sooner or later..." Sasuke pressed. "It's best that he knows now, so we can go ahead and get a lawyer if Sunako decides to bring this to court soon."

Majik's brows knitted together as he listened on.

"I know that, but... how am I supposed to tell him that the woman who abandoned him suddenly wants him back? He's already dealing with Melee, I don't think he could handle anything else right now... God, **I** can't even handle it!" Naruto rubbed at his temples and leaned back against the wall. "If Sunako takes Silo away from me, I don't know what I'll do, Sasuke..."

The Norwegian's eyes darkened and his lips twitched up into a snarl, anger already boiling in the pit of his stomach.

Sasuke placed a hand on his lover's shoulder. "Everything will be fine, I promise. Silo's going to stay with us, so don't worry."

Naruto nodded and sighed. "I'm sorry I'm being so annoying... Thanks for putting up with me."

The raven smirked. "You've been more annoying. Believe me, this is nothing."

The blond glared at him and straightened up, heading off toward the Prayer Room. "Yeah, whatever, Teme. Come on, let's get to the ceremony before we piss the happy couple off."

Sasuke nodded and followed close behind, not noticing the seething Majik who was still hidden behind the pillar.

xXxXx

Sasuke gently handed Hidan the small cup of sake, ending the san-san-kudo ceremony(1). Beside him, Itachi sipped slowly from his own cup, his movements fluid and graceful. It wasn't every day he got to see his older brother in such a state of attire, and he was wondering how he never noticed his unnatural beauty before.

The "bride" was in a pure white kimono, his hair in a traditional hairstyle with pins and clips everywhere. His skin was painted over in white, his lips a lush red, and his lashes were extra thick and black for the ceremony. At that moment, he was the embodiment of beauty and glory.

Hidan was in a similar outfit to Sasuke and Naruto, his hair slicked back like in the old days. There was a bright smile on his face as he drank his sake and watched the love of his life across the table. Next to him, Majik stared down at the table, trying to calm his temper. He wasn't going to ruin his brother's most important day by wallowing in his anger. So throwing on his usual goofy smile, he lifted up his own cup of sake and gulped it down.

Behind the main table, everyone else sat. The Akatsuki members were watching in awe at the happy couple, while some (like Silo) were too focused on the fact that Majik could tolerate the alcohol.

"He's been drinking it for a while," Haruka whispered. "He doesn't get drunk, so don't worry too much. He only drinks when he's stressed."

"Oh..." Silo mumbled. "But still... alcohol is disgusting..."

_He looks like he wants to kill someone... Majik, what's wrong with you?_

In the background, women in traditional garbs played their kotos, while mikos prayed for Itachi and Hidan. All in all, it was a very simple and common wedding. But Hidan, like always, didn't like simple, and he planned on spicing things up a little.

"Itachi," he murmured, affection lacing into his voice. "We've already given each other rings months ago... and I didn't think it'd be right to not have anything to give you on this special day..." he watched the Uchiha's eyes flicker with something akin to curiousity. "So..."

He pulled a medium-sized box out from the inside of his wardrobe and placed it on the table, pushing it toward his husband. His smile was fond and true, and he really hoped Itachi liked what he'd gotten him.

Slowly reaching forward, Itachi's lips trembled into a soft smile. "Hidan..."

"Awww," Silo and Tobi cooed in unison, both of their cheeks dusted a light pink at the romance of it all.

Lifting open the top, Itachi's eyes glazed over in what Sasuke assumed was pleasure. He's only seen that look on his brother's face once before, and that was when the weasal had gotten the news of his fellow Akatsuki members slaughtering an entire factory full of Orochimaru's men...

_...Whatever it is, it can't be good... _Sasuke leaned forward, as well as Majik, and glanced at whatever was inside of the white box. As soon as they spotted it, Majik started snorting in laughter and Sasuke broke a sweat, his jaw going slack.

Inside of the box, nestled atop light beige paper, was a brand new gun. But not just any gun, it was a specially-made Genshiryoku, a model made specifically for those Sasuke liked to call "hitmen". It's shiny surface reflected Itachi's hands as they moved to lift it out of it's sanctuary.

Matsuri almost screamed when she saw the item, but Tobi kept her from doing so, reminding her exactly what kind of business the two men and himself were in. Tooku didn't seem fazed at all, her large eyes focused on the weapon as if it were a rare delicacy.

"Do you like it? It took me weeks to actually find someone who made them," Hidan grinned.

Itachi's eyes were warm for once as he ran his fingers along the barrel. Yes, it was odd to receive a gun as a wedding gift, but his lover wasn't exactly normal.

"Forgive me for not having anything to give you..."

"Oh, no, it's fine. Just give me a little somethin'-somethin' tonight and we'll be even," he purred, his voice husky.

Sasuke's brows twitched.

"Alright, I believe the ceremony is officially over. If you two plan on doing anything x-rated, I suggest you head off to your room now."

"Heh, don't wo--" Hidan was cut off as a loud crashing sound came from the hall outside, followed by screams from the maids and multiple gunshots.

Kisame and Kakuzu cursed and pulled out their guns.

"Fuck, don't tell me Orochimaru found out where we were!" Kakuzu hissed. "Tobi, get your wife and kid out of here! Sasuke, Naruto, take the brats and get a move on!"

Silo's body seemed to freeze as footsteps approached the door to the room they were in. He clutched Haruka's hand tightly and even as his boyfriend was calling for him, telling him to move, he couldn't. Right before his eyes, he could see the past. He could see Sasuke getting shot, could feel the blood splattering on his face... It was all too real.

"Silo!"

"Silo, come on!" Naruto shoved open the window in the room so they could escape through there. "Silo!" he repeated.

Suddenly, the crow was ripped from his trance as a hand roughly yanked him off the ground. He winced as he was shoved against Haruka.

"Get the fuck goin', Little Miss," Majik growled. He was holding his own gun in his grasp, the most serious look on his face. "I'm not goin' to risk losin' ya again. Go with Haru-ru and find somewhere safe to hide."

"But Majik...!"

"Go!" the Norwegian hissed. "Haru-ru, make sure he stays safe!"

Haruka nodded.

Itachi yanked the clips from his hair until the silky tresses fell to his shoulders and wiped the powder from his face, the color smearing. As he watched his younger brother and the others slip outside, he felt his emotions start to slip away into nothing. He was angry that this was happening right after his wedding, but he needed to feel absolutely nothing in order to kill. He needed to be empty.

"Weasal-san, don't get shot, ok?" Hidan smiled before he stalked forward and kicked down the door, only to come face to face with a red-headed woman. They both aimed their guns at each other and the female smirked.

"Well, look who it is," she cooed. "I haven't seen ya in a while, ya fuck face."

"Tayuya," Hidan frowned. "You haven't changed at all. Still as vulgar as ever."

Tayuya eyed the man in front of her, then the other Akatsuki members in the room. Scoffing, she scowled.

"Eight against two, huh?"

Hidan's eyes widened. "Two...?"

Before he could even get the word out, five gunshots rang out and the sound of a body hitting the floor behind him had Hidan trembling. He could hear the laughter of Tayuya's partner, Sakon, before Kisame cursed and began shooting.

"Itachi-sama!" Deidara shouted.

Tayuya grinned and saluted before jumping out of the doorway and running down the hall. Sasori followed right behind her, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Itachi-san!"

"Itachi-sama! Zetsu, find out what the fuck Kannagi and the others were doing! They were supposed to be standing guard! Shit, shit, shit! He's losing a lot of blood, un!"

Hidan remained in place, his body shaking and his violet eyes wide.

"Sakon got away, that shit!" Deidara cursed.

Swallowing thickly, Hidan turned, tears already coming to his eyes. Never did he cry these days... but seeing the love of his life on the floor, blood sleeping through his snow white kimono, it made his chest constrict and his heart completely shatter.

"W-weasal...san..?" he whispered slowly.

_Not today... not after he became mine..._

Itachi's breathing was shallow and he coughed up blood, his eyes half open.

"Weasal-san...? ...Itachi...?"

Outside, Tobi was helping everyone into one of the cars they'd came in, careful to not be spotted. As he got into the driver's side, he could hear Hidan cursing and screaming from the Prayer Room not too far away. In the jumbled yells, he could hear Itachi's name and it made his fists tighten around the wheel.

"Itachi-sama..." he whimpered pathetically. "Please be alright..."

And then he started the car, quickly driving away from the hotel, hoping and praying that everything would be ok.

But really...

Nothing would ever be ok, not from that point on.

**(1) It's the ceremony where the families exchange sake cups to celebrate their union.**

**Wow, the ending of this chap... was a surprise, even to me :sweatdrop: I didn't plan on ending it like this, but it wrote itself. Will Itachi be ok? What's gonna happen next?.!**


	47. Not Like Him

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Into the drama we go! XD This is my part 2 of the Itachi and Hidan arc thing... but not really. I just didn't want to write out an entire chapter to them because I have other important things to shove in this chapter.**

**Please leave me a review, no matter how small! :pumps fist in the air: and I'll give you all a sneak peak into the next multi-chap fic I plan on starting after I finish this story XD**

Tayuya laughed heartily as she climbed up into the attic of the hotel, meeting up with her partner, Sakon, who was cleaning the barrel of his gun. They both knew someone would think to look for them there eventually, but they weren't in a hurry to get back to Orochimaru too soon. Rubbing sweat from her forehead, the red-head smirked.

"Ya think he's dead?"

Sakon 'hmph'ed and put away his gun, pushing himself away from the beam he was leaning against.

"I shot him five times, what do you think? I aimed for his heart, so he should be dead within the next few minutes if he isn't already," he chuckled, checking the time on his cell phone. It was 11:34 a.m. "Hn, we should be heading out soon. Kabuto's meeting us out in the woods."

Tayuya snorted.

"Orochimaru better give us a nice reward for killin' that fuckin' Uchiha. I almost lost my cool when I saw that the entire Akatsuki was there," she growled. "He didn't tell us a fuckin' weddin' was goin' on!"

"Yes," Sakon brushed himself off. "I almost felt bad for shooting him on his wedding day. It's a shame."

Tayuya laughed and put away her own gun, walking to where they snuck in at. Looking outside, she saw members of the yakuza running around in search of them. It'd been fairly easy to get by them, since they weren't really professionals, and she was hoping the Akatsuki would think they had betrayed them.

Turning to call for Sakon, her eyes widened and she yanked her gun out.

"Sakon, behind you!" she yelled and fired at the intruder that was shifting in the shadows of the attic. She could hear heavy footsteps, but she couldn't see where the man had went. "Ugh, FUCK!"

Sakon had his weapon aimed at the shadows, but he knew it'd do no good if the enemy could see him and he couldn't see them. Then before he knew it, he was kicked onto the floor, a gunshot ringing out.

Tayuya fell against a beam as blood soaked through the shirt over her shoulder, her teeth gritted and her gun falling to the floor. She hadn't seen the attacker until a split second before he'd shot her.

"B-Bastard!" she cursed, looking through the dust to see the smaller frame of Majik. She growled. "You!" she'd never imagined she'd see the little brother of Hidan join their organization, especially at such a young age.

Majik's face was full of anger and hatred as he slammed Sakon's head onto the floor multiple times, not satisfied until he saw blood. His words were caught in his throat as he looked down into the eyes of the monster who had ruthlessly slaughtered the man he considered a father. Baring his teeth, he used his fingers to pry open the Oto member's mouth and shoved the barrel of his gun down his throat.

Sakon had shown no mercy when he'd shot Itachi, so Majik was going to return the favor.

Eyes full of fear, Sakon struggled underneath the teenager, but he wasn't strong enough. His arms were pinned beneath Majik's knees, his hands going numb.

"M-mghnn!" he tried to beg for mercy, but his muffled pleas were cut short when Majik pulled the trigger and blood splattered from his mouth and the back of his head. His whole body went slack and his head lolled to the side, blood soaking into the wood beneath him.

Tayuya watched this in horror, her heart beating fast when Majik's blood-splattered face turned towards her. She used her good arm to reach out for her fallen gun, but Majik was by her side in an instant, his gun to her temple.

"You mother fucker!" was all she managed to get out before the Norwegian shot her in the head, blood getting all over his hand. Her body fell to the attic floor and Majik felt something sweep through his entire body before he went completely numb, the anger disappearing from his face.

He'd killed two people in cold blood and he felt no regret...

What was happening to him?

xXxXx

"...wake up..."

Itachi could hear a small voice over the thrumming of his heart in his ears, his eyelids refusing to lift themselves up. There was an intense pain in his chest and as he tried to recollect memories of what had happened, he felt himself being carefully lifted up through the darkness that was determined to consume him. He felt so weightless at that moment, but at the same time, as heavy as a boulder. His heart was weighing him down, but he didn't know why...

"...please wake up..."

There it was again, that distant voice that sounded so familiar.

"...Itachi!"

Then Itachi's body became as heavy as his heart again once the pure agony in that voice finally struck him. He'd just been joined together with the love of his life... It had been only moments ago when he'd touched Hidan's hand, kissed his lips, seen him smile... And then all he could remember after that was seeing Hidan's horror-stricken face as he lay on the floor, his vision going black.

Striving to push the darkness away, he chased after the far away voice and found what people called the light at the end of the tunnel. But instead of God, he saw his gorgeous lover hunched over him with tears slipping down his flushed face as he cried his heart out. He called Itachi's name out over and over until his voice went raw.

Eyelashes brushing against his cheeks, Itachi blinked slowly.

"Hidan..." he whispered like a child with a sore throat. His dark eyes were clouded over and he sounded so young, looking so small as Kakuzu worked on his wounds from his left side. He didn't even notice the larger man, just the silver-haired male.

Violet eyes shooting open, Hidan watched as Itachi attempted to speak.

"Hidan..." he mouthed again. "I-I will never leave you... not again..."

Hidan smiled crookedly and leaned down to press his cheek against Itachi's. His heart ached in relief at the sight of his "husband" awake. He knew that as long as the weasel stayed awake, he'd survive. And as he held the hands of his loved one, he couldn't help but be reminded of when they were teenagers...

xXxXx flashback xXxXx

"Jesus fuckin' Christ, Weasel-san, you're hot!" Hidan grabbed his friend by the shoulders tightly and raked his eyes over the form that was Itachi's. He soaked in his appearance like a sponge, his mouth hanging open. He couldn't believe that the beautiful man in front of him was the same man he'd seen just two days ago at school...

Itachi resisted the urge to blush as he looked away from Hidan's piercing eyes.

"Shisui gave me a makeover when he came to visit..." he coughed lightly. "I suppose you like it...?"

"I wanna do you against a stall door in the school bathroom, that's how much I like it," Hidan smirked and pulled his hands back. "How about you and I have a quickie?"

Itachi glared at him. "You're not funny."

Laughing, Hidan lifted his school bag up from off the floor and slung it over his shoulder. "Sure I am, you just don't have a sense of humor. Now, come on, let's get to class before Hoshino-sensei gives us detention again."

The both of them headed out of the bathroom, Itachi a little uneasy around the new stares he was receiving from his fellow classmates and students. Even some of the teachers were looking at him, a few commenting him on his new look. He smiled faintly and sped up to reach Hidan's side, happy that he was at least somewhat up to par with his best friend's beauty. Really, at that moment, he thought all that he really had to worry about was his image among others. He had no idea what the world had in store for him.

xXxXx end flashback xXxXx

"He's in stable condition," the doctor explained to Sasuke as he scanned over the papers on his clipboard, his glasses low on the bridge of his nose. "There was quite a bit of internal bleeding, but we did surgery and he should be fine. We have a nurse who comes in every three hours to check in on him and give him medicine for his pain, so there's no need to worry about him, Uchiha-san."

"Thank you..." Sasuke rubbed at his temples, his worries slowly disappearing with the good news. He bowed to the doctor before pushing open the door to his older brother's room and greeting Naruto who was inside.

The blond looked up from the magazine he was reading and threw his boyfriend a loving smile.

"You look tense. You want a massage?" he offered, getting up and pulling Sasuke toward him. He stroked his shoulders and let him sit down, going behind him to rub at his neck "Is Itachi going to be alright? What did the doctor say?"

"He'll be fine..." Sasuke sighed in pleasure.

"That's good... Do you know where Hidan went?" Naruto asked, wondering why the silver-haired man had been gone for so long.

"He told me that he needed to visit the rest of the Akatsuki for something important. He said he'd be back soon," Sasuke answered with his eyes closed, melting into his lover's touch.

xXxXx

Majik hit the floor with a loud grunt, the ground beneath him scraping up his elbows. He got up quickly, his violete eyes flashing dangerous as a fist attempted to connect with his jaw again. He wouldn't let himself be subjected to this, especially when what he did was out of revenge for the person he loved almost as much as his brother.

"You fuckin' brat," Kakuzu growled and grabbed Majik by his hair, yanking him forward. "Do you know what's going to happen now? Orochimaru is going to go on a man hunt for you because you killed two of his best goddamn men! What you did was idiotic and what do you think Itachi-san and Hidan are going to say?.! They taught you better than this!"

The teenager glared up at the much larger man and reached up to grip onto the wide wrist above him.

"No. They only taught me to do what I think is right. Killin' those bastards was what **I** thought was the best thing to do, therefore I did it," he hissed. "They almost killed one of the most important people to me."

Kakuzu sighed and released his grip on the shorter boy, crossing his arms. Behind him, Deidara snickered, knowing that his colleague had a soft side to him.

"You're just like your damn brother," he sighed again. "Just get going, ok? You'll end up getting in trouble if you stay out here," he glanced out of the ally they were in, watching the people pass by, oblivious to them. "Itachi-san should be awake in his room by now."

Majik smiled and gave a thumbs up before pushing open the emergency exit to the hospital that they'd come out of earlier. He ran up the stairs, then down the west wing hallway, knocking on the door to the room that he knew his dad was in. He wiped at his bleeding elbows unconsciously and grinned to the nurse when she opened the door.

"Ah, Shungiku-kun," she gave him a sweet look. "Uchiha-san is eating his dinner right now, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind your company. His younger brother, Uzumaki-kun, and his lover are in there as well."

"Thanks!" Majik bowed his head and went in, waving lightly to the tired-looking weasal. "How are ya feelin'?"

Itachi smiled faintly as Hidan fed him.

"He can't really talk," Naruto commented. "His voice is practically gone, but he's fine."

"You know," Hidan grinned impishly and ran his fingers through Itachi's long hair, "this reminds me of when Weasal-san and I were put in a hospital together years ago. I remember that he couldn't talk then either and he'd had to make stupid-ass hand gestures to communicate with me," he laughed.

Itachi snorted, but relished in the memories of back then.

"It was right before he'd taken me out of the Akatsuki," Hidan smiled. "We were both so young and stupid, and I'd overdosed on as many drugs as I possibly could. Weasal-san had just gotten back from having a huge fight with a few of the members over drug sales and he'd been on the verge of collapsing, but... he'd found me and tried his hardest to get me to the hospital."

Sasuke frowned, remembering when his mother had taken him to see them that day. He'd cried because he'd thought he was going to lose his brother.

"So there we were, both in hospital beds and as high as a kite from all of the drugs those doctors had pumped into our veins. I remember the drowzy look on his face as the drugs kicked in full throttle and I couldn't help but laugh at him," Hidan laughed. "'You're a fuckin' mess' is what I'd said to him, and he'd retorted with weird hand gestures since he couldn't talk... Man, it's been so long since then."

"You guys go way back," Naruto leaned forward in his chair.

"Yeah," Hidan nodded. "I knew him back in his nerdy days."

Itachi attempted to glare, but he winced and laid back against his pillow, tired.

"Well, we'll leave you guys alone," Naruto stood up and looked over at Majik. "You can stay, I'm sure they wanna talk to you. You **have** been missing for the past three hours."

Majik scratched at the back of his head and threw them a nervous smile. Waving good-bye, he stepped over to the hospital bed and immediately received twin glares. Gulping, he grinned in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Where are the cuts from?" Hidan asked with a frown.

"Um, Kakuzu sort of... knocked some sense into me outside," Majik looked away. "And I'm guessin' that... ya don't know what happened back at the springs?"

"Other than Weasal-san almost dying on our wedding day, no," the silver-haired man sighed. "Please tell me you didn't do anything completely stupid."

"Well... I shot and killed two of Orochimaru's men, the ones who attacked Mr. Weasal. Kakuzu said their names were Tayuya and Sakon?"

Itachi's glare turned into a look of disbelief.

"You killed them...? What were you thinking?.!" Hidan cursed. "You leave assassinations and murder to the top Akatsuki members! Now Orochimaru's going to be in a look-out for you!"

"I-I know. I'm sorry, Niisan, I never meant for--"

"You're to stay with me at all times. No running off on your own unless I give you permission, understand? Jeez, I think the worst is over and then you go and do this?"

Majik looked down in shame and anger. He wanted to be praised for killing those who had almost ended his father-figure. But what did he get? Yelling. No praise, no smiles.

"Please forgive me... Revenge wasn't... the way to go 'bout it..."

Itachi eyed his son.

xXxXx flashback xXxXx

Itachi clutched onto Hidan's limp body in his arms, blood covering the both of them as they sat on the stairs to the underground ring. His dark eyes were wide and tears streamed down his young face, his nails digging into his friend's pale arms. Bodies of the men he'd slaughtered were on the floor below, people surrounding them and whispering, but not making a move toward the unstable Itachi.

A single man pushed through the crowd and everyone parted, letting him through. He stepped up the stairs and stood still on the step just below the smaller boys. His eyes were a piercing gold and drew Itachi's attention.

The weasal shook in fear and looked into those bright eyes.

"Why did you kill them? It was not your job."

Itachi's face shifted from the expression of fear to that of rage. He pulled Hidan closer to him and snarled, his body continuing to shake.

"They shoved him down on the ground and injected him with heroin! They tried to kill him with drugs, just for their own sick and twisted enjoyment!" he growled and more tears slipping down his cheeks. "I wan't going to sit around and let them do that to my best friend!"

"It was still not your place, Itachi," the man continued. "I tried to keep your hands clean, but you went ahead and soiled them."

"They were going to kill Hidan!" Itachi stood and pulled Hidan up with him, pressing the other's face to his chest. "Those fuckers deserved to die! They deserved to have their throats slit and their heads smashed open!" his anger overtook him. "I wanted revenge and I got it! I took their lives, all for the person who is most important to me! Leader, I got my revenge!"

The Akatsuki leader stared down at one of his youngest members, eyes cold.

"Revenge is not the way. Taking away a dozen lives for one is not what the Akatsuki does. We kill those we are against, not those of our own fellowship."

"Revenge is the only way! And they all deserved it!" Itachi's eyes shined with hatred. "I'll take a thousand lives if I have to!"

xXxXx end flashback xXxXx

Itachi smiled softly and held out his arms weakly, asking Majik for an embrace. Hidan looked at him with slight shock, but understood the sudden gesture.

Majik hesitently stepped forward and leaned forward to wrap his arms around the older man, closing his eyes and breathing in.

"I'm sorry..."

Itachi looked over at his lover.

'He'll be fine,' he mouthed and continued to comfort the teen.

_He'll be nothing like I was. He'll learn that revenge is never the answer and that nothing good comes from it..._

Hidan smiled and leaned back in his chair, watching the two most important people to him speak a thousand words to each other without even opening their mouths. Things were probably going to get harder from this point on, but he was okay with that. He was sure that everything was going to be fine.

**Please review! Danke!**


	48. GoodBye

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**I know it took a while for this to come out, but I was having severe anxiety issues and had to go see a therapist. Ya know, the bouts of depression keep you from writing chapters XD But I'm decent now, so enjoy this new chapter of JLH!**

**Also, JLH doesn't have that many chapters left, so please review as much as you can until it's over! Yeah, this isn't the longest of chapters, but it was the best I could do for now. I have to clean cuz my girlfriend's comin' to visit me X3**

"Naruto! Sasuke!" Ino shouted in joy as she saw her old friends exit the sleek, black car in front of her. She lifted the bottom of her beautiful peach gown and ran to them, almost falling because of her high heels. She hadn't seen them in years and had thought that Sasuke was dead from the letter she'd received from Itachi...

The crowd around her talked amongst each other in excitement, having just recently heard the news of Sasuke and Naruto's entry back into the acting business. Just like Ino, they'd all thought the Sasuke had died and that Naruto had gone back to America. The security guards by the golden ropes that kept the fans and photographers back moved forward and spread their arms out to keep the paparazzi away.

"Ino!" Naruto grinned and lifted the girl up into the air, having missed her so much. "Sasuke and I came to see your movie premiere in hopes of seeing you again."

The blonde woman smiled prettily and rubbed at her eyes with her silk gloves, laughing quietly. She'd missed that smile, those eyes, that cheerful demeanor. Looking past Naruto, she noticed Sasuke standing there with a hint of a smile on his face. Of course, he was attempting to keep his feelings to himself.

"I know you missed me too, Sasuke..." she almost felt like crying and patted Naruto on the chest before moving past him and wrapping her arms around the silent raven. The guests for the premiere took pictures and a majority of the girls squealed in excitement of seeing their two favorite actors back on the red carpet.

"It's been a while," was all he said, not wanting to show his true self to the cameras.

Ino pulled away and gave them both a look that revealed her happiness, her frail hands rubbing together in an almost nervous manner.

"C-come in and have a seat at my table with me. I didn't think... I-I'd have guests...!" her calm self slipped away and she practically wept, pearly tears slipping down her powdered cheeks. Naruto pulled her against him and they headed down the carpet, grinning and touching the hands of fangirls who called out his name.

"It's ok, Ino, cry all you want," the blond told his friend quietly and soothingly, all three of them going into the building and being directed to where the movie was to be shown. "Now, which table is yours?"

The actress sniffled and blinked back more tears, shakily pointing to a small decorated table in the middle of the large room, guests already being seated. The room was dimly lit and the screen blank as everyone took their seats.

"I-I was so happy when Itachi called me and told me about how... you were both coming to see me..." she smiled through her tears. "I'd thought... that you were dead, Sasuke..."

The raven placed his hand on Ino's to comfort her. Quite frankly, after seeing one blond cry when he "came back to life", he wasn't too fond on seeing another one do the same. It reminded him too much of a memory he'd wanted to forget...

"I'm here now," Sasuke smiled faintly.

"We'll always be here!" Naruto grinned happily. "So don't cry anymore, ok?"

Ino nodded and wiped her tears away, practically beaming between her two friends. Not only had her two greatest friends come back, but she was sitting in between two of Japan's best actors and top hotties. There was no way she wasn't going to enjoy this evening to its fullest.

"Pinky promise?" she looked at both of them, hopeful, and held out the pinkies on both of her small hands.

"What are you, five?" Sasuke snorted, but sputtered when Naruto's knuckles made contact with his ribs. He glared at his lover, but grumbled something under his breath and linked his pinky with the actress's anyway, Naruto doing the same.

"Yakusoku!" Naruto cheered.

"Yakusoku!" Ino bellowed and giggled.

Sasuke sighed and reluctantly joined in.

"...Yakusoku..."

xXxXxXx

"_I don't want him..."_

Silo shifted in his sleep, his body slumped in one of the hospital's waiting room chairs. His black bangs fell over his closed eyes, his eyes moving around rapidly beneath his pale eyelids. His lips parted in his sleep, almost moving to mutter something.

_"He was an accident! I can't take care of him and I can't be with you anymore! I wanted to leave since the beginning, but... but that __**thing**__ kept me from doing so! I got pregnant with him and I couldn't leave... but now that he's old enough..."_

_"S-Sunako... Please don't leave me! I love you more than anything, more than life itself!"_

_"I can't stand you! I'm not happy with you and I'm definitely not happy with him!"_

_"He's your son! How can you say that?"_

_"He's not my son! He's only a mistake! I regret ever letting that thing come out of my body... H-he's going to be just like him..."_

_"Who...?"_

The crow whimpered as his fingers twitched on his lap, his body tensing and untensing every second.

_"I-I can't stay here! I'm packing my things and I'm leaving!"_

Crystal blue eyes were slowly revealed as thick lashes lifted themselves up, pupils becoming small from the room's artificial lighting. Silo exhaled shakily and rubbed at his eyes, licking his dry lips. He hadn't had a nightmare like that in a long time... The last time he'd had one like that was when he was going through the stages of anxiety after he'd thought Sasuke had died... That was years ago, though...

"Who am I going to be like...?" he whispered to himself, confused as to who his mother was referring to. Even though he'd been three at the time, he remembered her expression clearly that morning. She'd looked so scared when she'd said those words.

"Little Miss?" Majik sat down next to his best friend and handed him a can of peach juice. "Are ya ok? Ya look a little sick."

Silo thanked him with a nod and took the sweet drink, opening it and taking a few gulps. His throat had been dry when he'd woke up.

"I'm fine," he wiped his mouth with the back of his hoodie's sleeve. "I just had a bad dream, is all. It's nothing to worry about."

"What kind of dream?" Majik asked, as curious as ever. "Were ya bein' chased by dinosaurs? Did a tickle monster yank ya into your closet and tickle ya 'til ya pissed yourself?"

"..." the dark-haired teen laughed lightly and tilted his head to the side, resting his cheek on the palm of his hand. "No, nothing like that. Just a dream of the past... When my mom was around. She... didn't want me, you know?"

The Norwegian sobered up a bit and furrowed his thick brows.

"I know how ya feel. My parents didn't want me at all. They threw me out in the rain as soon as they left the hospital," he grinned, despite the subject of conversation. "But this old couple found me and raised me 'til I could be put into a foster home."

Silo's eyes widened.

"I-I didn't know that... I'm so sorry..."

"Nah, it's ok. I was lucky that they hadn't aborted me," he smiled. "But ya were a lot luckier than me. Ya had at least one parent who kept ya and raised ya right. I'm messed up because of bein' in one foster home after the other 'til I was sent to live with Niisan and Papa. Even there, I wasn't treated like a kid should be. I was beaten, yelled at, even starved... Ya wanna know why I act the way I do?"

The crow almost felt too frightened to want to know the answer, but he nodded anyway.

"It's a defense mechanism, or whatever those shrinks call it. I created this personality, this side of myself, in order to keep myself from breakin' down from the abuse. If I showed ya the real me..." he looked straight into Silo's eyes, making the other boy feel as if his heart was being constricted. When he looked into Majik's eyes, all he could see was pain and anguish.

"Stop it..." Silo muttered quietly, almost pleading.

Majik broke eye contact and looked away, standing up.

"It's... gettin' harder and harder to stay this way. With everythin' that's happenin', I dunno how long it'll be before my mask cracks and ya see the real me. But when ya do... run away..." he sighed. "Because it won't be too long from now."

"I knew something was changing..." Silo's voice cracked as he tried to keep the tears in. There was no one in that particular waiting room except for him and Majik, so he felt no embarrassment. "For a while, you were so distant... You wouldn't hang out with me and Haruka-kun... but then you suddenly went back to normal..." he glanced up and let Majik see the fear in his eyes.

"Don't look at me like that..."

A single tear slipped down Silo's right cheek and dripped from his chin.

"Wh-what happened? What happened to you? I-I always thought you were so strong... Ever since we were little, I looked up to you to give me the strength I needed... What caused you to change...?"

Majik looked down at the boy he considered to be the one he'd always love...

"You and Haruka fell in love."

Silo's heart stopped from the words that were spoken.

"You two fell in love with each other and I became the third wheel," his accent seemed to have left him at that moment. "I wanted to be with you more than anything. But I knew I had no chance at all when I realized that Haruka liked you... How can I, a fucked up orphan, compete with someone like him?.!" his anger slipped out, frightening Silo.

Eyes wide, more tears fell from Silo's eyes and he tried to control his aching heart.

"Then someone I considered a father was almost killed right in front of me! At that time, not only had I been hurting because of losing you, but I thought I'd lost Itachi! I thought he'd died and you know what I did?" his breath was ragged and it seemed like he was going insane, his voice loud. "I killed the two bastards who shot him! I trapped them like rats and shot them just like they'd shot him!"

"Majik!" Silo yelled, almost sobbing. "Shut up!"

"And you ask my why I'm changing?.! One of the few good things in my life was ripped away from me, then another was almost taken, too! How the hell am I supposed to keep this up?.!"

Silo broke down then, anger and pain in his cerulean orbs.

"Majik, stop it..." he pleaded brokenly.

"Tell me how, huh?.!"

Silo swallowed his next breath and almost glared at his friend.

"Majik! Stop it! Fuckin' stop it!" he cried.

There was a thick silence between the two, only broken by Silo's quiet sobs and Majik's intake of breath.

"I-I'm sorry... I've been gettin' angry a lot lately..." he ran a hand through his different-colored hair and looked down in embarrassment, "I never meant to get like that, especially in front of ya. And I... I don't want ya to feel bad 'cause of my feelin's for ya..."

The crow wrapped his arms around himself and hunched over, as if about to throw up, his crying becoming louder. He hadn't cried like that in a long time and it felt like all the sadness he'd ever felt and hadn't vented was accumulating and making him cry harder.

His heart throbbed painfully and he felt as if Melee was going to come out at any second. She hadn't bothered him in a while, but...

"M-Majik...!" he couldn't breathe, his lungs constricting. He was pleading for his friend and what he got in reply was a pair of large, warm hands on his shoulders, pushing him back in order to reveal his face.

His eyes were red from crying and his face held an expression of fear, not wanting Melee to come out again. He'd been doing so well for so long. Not even after five seconds of looking into Majik's warm eyes, he relaxed and realized that the old Majik was back...

"Majik..." he whispered again and was enveloped in two strong and warm arms, lips pressing against his damp ones. He couldn't push him away... He knew it was wrong and that it shouldn't be happening, but it felt so right... He closed his eyes and welcomed the kiss with his lips moving back in a soft gesture.

_I'm so sorry, Haruka-kun..._

Majik pulled away and smiled slightly.

Silo smiled back a bit and opened his mouth to say something, but his friend beat him to it, his words echoing in the empty room.

"After what happened... I realized I have to say good-bye. That was my farewell..."

And then Silo saw black.

xXxXxXx

"Are you sure they're in there, Hidan-san?" Tobi asked as he peaked out from behind the dumpster at the old warehouse. The silver spraypaint was chipping and rust was all along the bottom from the occasional floods from the river close by. There were four large garage doors that led into the building and one of them was open by at least seven inches from the bottom.

Hidan had on his Akatsuki cloak and was toying with one of his favorite guns, his eyes dark. It was time for him to get his revenge on Orochimaru for what he'd done to Itachi. The first step to his revenge was to kill off as many of his men as he could, and if his calculations and information were correct, then there would be as many as one hundred and thirty five men in that storage house.

"I'm positive. Now get to your points of fire and don't shoot until I signal you to."

Tobi and the other main Akatsuki members nodded before leaving to go where they were supposed to. Hidan slowly stepped around the dumpster and straightened the collar of his cloak, heading toward the slightly open garage door. He'd already checked for security cameras beforehand and hadn't found any, so he wasn't too worried about anyone knowing he was approaching.

"Idiots," he grinned and popped open a single button on his cloak, reaching in to wrap his fingers around something. Coming to a stop next to the targeted door, he pulled out an old-fashioned grenade and kissed it for good luck. He then bent down and yanked out the pin, throwing it under the door and listening to the shouts of men inside.

Standing up, he ran from the warehouse and laughed joyously when he heard the explosion, accompanied by the screams of Orochimaru's men. Spinning on his heel, he faced the warehouse and watched as fire came out from under the door.

He smirked.

If only Itachi could see him now.

He lifted his arm up as if saluting and only waited until people started coming out of the building to lower his it, signaling his comrade's to shoot. Gunshots could suddenly be heard all around the court and the exiting men and women fell to the ground as quickly as they could blink.

Deidara seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself as he shot down thirteen more men, not even pausing when he spotted a woman trying to drag away what looked to be her boyfriend or husband.

"This is for Itachi, un!" he laughed.

Hidan watched all of this, feeling like a murderer, but feeling accomplished. He was going to end Orochimaru's organization, then end the snake's life before he could ever hurt Itachi again.

"I'll find you one of these days, Orochimaru, and when I do... I'll fuckin' slit your throat for everything you've done."

xXxXx

Silo's eyes snapped open and he sat forward quickly, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. His dream had felt so real, but...

He was still sitting in one of the hospital chairs and his cheeks weren't damp...

"Was it all a dream?" he asked himself and pulled out his cellphone, going to Majik's number. He pressed 'call' and waited for him to pick up, but the line went dead after the first ring. His stomach flipped and he felt like he was about to throw up. He was being ignored, he knew it... which meant...

"I-It really happened...!" he wrapped his arms around himself once again and held back his tears. "He's gone... He's really gone!"

Suddenly, the waiting room door opened and Haruka came in, the male squinting.

"Silo? Is that you?"

Silo held his breath and sat up, salty tears dripping from the bridge of his nose and his chin. When he saw Haruka, he felt regret... He'd kissed Majik, he'd betrayed his boyfriend...

"Haruka..." he whispered and got up, walking to his lover. "Haruka-kun!" he wrapped his arms around him and cried loudly. "I'm so sorry!"

"For what?" the silver-haired teenager hugged Silo close to him. "What's wrong?"

And then Silo broke down.

xXxXx

Naruto yawned and stretched, too tired to even say anything to the raven who was unlocking the door to their home. They'd spent four hours at the party and he was a bit tipsy from the wine he'd had, making grunting noises every now and then to communicate. As soon as the door was opened, they both went inside and Sasuke flipped on the light switch.

On the couch, Silo had his hands in his lap and his face downward. He looked up when his parents entered, though, and smiled brokenly, eyes wet.

"Okaeri..."

**Poor Silo. I put that child through sooooo much.**


	49. Everything Will Be Fine

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Jeez, I was hoping to get this story done before the start of my Senior year, but it;s definitely not gonna happen. Well, it's fine since I have mostly easy classes this year :shrugs:**

**And once again, sorry for the long wait. I found out I have a form of OCD called ROCD or Relationship Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. If any of you have it, message me? I'd like to talk with someone who has the same thing as me :big smile:**

**Enjoy the chapter and it's greatness! XD I actually think this one's really good.**

**Dedicated to Ray, my sexy girlfriend!**

Naruto shifted in bed for the millionth time that night, dry sweat caked onto his dark skin. It wasn't every night he had nightmares, but when he did have them, they were **bad**. The ghosts and goblins of a child's dream would always be much preferred over the tear-jerking memories that always wracked his mind whenever his head decided to produce a nightmare for him. He seemed to never have dreams anymore.

Sasuke lay silently beside the twisting form, in his own deep slumber that was caused by a day's worth of working on set of an upcoming film. His eyes were still beneath his eyelids, something that Naruto would've wanted more than anything at that moment. Instead, he was stuck with nightmare after nightmare.

With a grunt, the blond's teeth gritted together and he hissed, his eyes snapping open instantly.

His heaving chest stilled for a moment as he took in his surroundings with wide eyes, his body finally calming down long enough for him to get a grip on what had been going on. He inhaled deeply before running a large hand over his damp face, his expression that of someone who'd lost someone important to them.

"I haven't had a nightmare about that in a while..." he grumbled to himself, swiping his bangs to the side. His heart was racing in his chest, his throat dry and sticky to the point that it was almost impossible to swallow. Licking his lips, he sat up and the thin satin sheets of his and Sasuke's bed pooled around his naked waist.

Glancing to his left, he watched his sleeping lover take in slow and steady breaths, wishing that he would've been able to have a restful sleep like him. His thoughts seemed to have wandered in Sasuke's head, though, because the raven slowly opened a single eye not even ten seconds later, his mouth opening so he could yawn.

"It's not polite to stare," he mused tiredly.

"I couldn't help it, you're so damn sexy," Naruto replied with a sleepy smile.

"Hn," the dark-haired Uchiha rolled onto his side toward his boyfriend and looked up at him beneath long bangs. "Are you going to tell me why you're awake this late? It's going on five in the morning, Dobe."

Naruto sighed and scratched absently at his right arm.

"I had a nightmare about the night my dad died... Which is strange since I haven't dreamed about that for years..."

Sasuke furrowed his brows and pushed himself up so that he could sit with his legs crossed next to Naruto. He'd never found out what happened to the man's father all those years ago, so he was going to listen as intently as he could if Naruto would be willing to share.

It was as if the blond could read his thoughts because he chuckled and nodded.

"I'm guessing you want to hear about it? It's not the happiest of stories, but you have the right to know what happened," he rubbed his hands together and cracked his knuckles out of habit, his blue eyes trained on a spot on the wall. "When I was seven, I was out playing with a friend near our barn... We were trying to scare all of the chickens so that they'd fly around their pin," he smiled at the memory. "I remember that it was really sunny that day and that my dad had gone down to the creek to get some fresh water for the h-horses..."

Sasuke noticed the tremor in his voice and placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"He said he was going to be right back..." his cerulean eyes were pained as he stared at the wall. "But after two hours passed by and he hadn't come back, I'd gotten worried and went to look for him after my friend had gone home... I'd ran through all of the pricker bushes, trying to get to the creek as fast as I could to see if maybe my dad needed help... But when I got there, instead of seeing him struggling to carry the big barrel of water... I saw him hanging from a tree..! He'd hanged himself, Sasuke! He'd left me all alone when I was only seven!"

Dark, obsidian eyes widened in shock.

"He always seemed so happy when I was with him..." Naruto refused to let the tears fall. "We would play in the fields, he'd let me ride on the tractor with him, he'd taught me how to ride the horses... but all that time, he'd been miserable," he inhaled. "The police had found boxes under his bed full of pictures of my mom and letters that she'd wrote to him while in the hospital... And they found a suicide note in one of the boxes... He'd said that he was sorry for leaving me, but he missed my mom too much... he wanted to be with her... so he--he..."

Sasuke pulled Naruto against him and rubbed his back soothingly.

"... he left me to be with her..." Naruto finished his sentence while shutting his eyes. "I was **never** angry at him for what he did... Only sad that he hadn't taken me with him," he smiled bitterly. "Back then, all I had was my dad and the farm. When he'd died, the farm was taken away from me and I was placed in foster care, so I had nothing."

"You wanted to die with him?" Sasuke growled.

Naruto pulled back and gave him an apologetic look.

"I was seven, Sasuke, I didn't understand death... I just wanted more than anything to be with my dad **and** mom again. It'd been such a long time since we were all together... But hey, I'm happy I'm still around today. Imagine what life would be like without Uzumaki Naruto around!" he laughed obnoxiously.

The raven laughed quietly and patted his boyfriend on the shoulder.

"Well, to celebrate your life, how about we go into the kitchen and make breakfast? After that little talk, I don't think going back to bed is an option," Sasuke climbed out of bed and pulled on a pair of sweatpants over his boxers. "Pancakes?"

Naruto's gorgeous blue eyes lit up immediately, his lips curling up into a grin that reached from one side of his face to the other. He was so easily pleased that Sasuke could buy him a bag of party poppers for their anniversary and he would probably play with them all day without ever getting bored.

"Pancakes!" he cheered while getting out of bed, too, and yanking on a pair of his own bright orange sweatpants. It was true, he wouldn't be able to get to bed even if he tried. Going over to their vanity mirror, he messed up his hair until it looked good, then they both left the room while talking quietly about what kind of pancakes they would make.

What they hadn't expected, though, was to see Silo sitting at the kitchen table while eating out of a box of donut holes. The crow blushed cutely when he was caught chowing down and quickly closed the white box, pushing it to the center of the table. He licked his powdery lips and tossed them an "I'm sorry, papa and mama" look.

"What're you doing sitting out here? It's waaaay past your bed-time, musuko," Naruto chided with a soft smile. He went to the oak cabinet that was closest to the stove and opened it, searching for chocolate chip pancake mix.

"I know..." Silo looked down at his lap. "But I couldn't sleep. I kept waking up and looking at my phone," he sighed. "Majik hasn't called me at all... No one's heard from him except for Hidan and Itachi, but they refuse to tell me where he is or what he's doing."

It'd been an entire two weeks since Majik had disappeared.

Silo had found some comfort, if not a lot, in the fact that Majik was still talking to Hidan and Itachi. At least he hadn't completely disappeared... As for Haruka, the boy hadn't gotten that angry with Silo when he'd told him about the kiss. All he'd done was frown and blame the Norwegian. That had made the Uzumaki child happy because he didn't want to lose his precious someone because of a mistake he'd made while at the point of a breakdown.

Also, in the past two weeks, Silo had started at the private school that Haruka went to and found it fairly fun since he had every class with his boyfriend. The blind boy was also able to get an appointment with a laser surgeon who was well-known for helping the blind regain their sight within a month. It would cost Kakashi thirty-thousand dollars, but it was worth it. He wanted his son to be able to experience what the world had to offer him.

"I'm sure he's fine. He's a tough kid," Naruto assured his son while helping Sasuke with their breakfast. "If he were in any danger, I'm sure Itachi would've forced him to come back."

"Aniki told me that he was staying with someone in the Akatsuki," Sasuke commented. "He didn't mention who or drop any hints, but I'm sure that whoever he's with he's doing fine."

Silo smiled faintly.

"I hope so..."

"Come on, don't get so down in the dumps! I know, how about I put a face on your pancake with strawberries and whipcream? You used to love that as a kid," Naruto grinned. "You'd always ask me to make you a clown."

"I'm not a kid anymore, Dad," Silo huffed. "I'm practically an adult."

"You're never too old to humor your papa, you know?" the blond looked a bit miffed.

Silo, afraid he'd upset his father, put on a bright smile.

"Ok then. Um, can you make it into a tiger instead of a clown?"

"Tiger it is!" Naruto snickered and went to work mixing the batter with a wooden spoon. Beside him, Sasuke was getting out breakfast plates, but came to a hault when the cordless phone beside him started ringing it.

"I'll get it," he muttered before pulling the phone off the hook and putting it to his ear. "Uchiha residence, Uchiha Sasuke speaking."

_"C-c-can I speak to Naruto? Is he there?"_

"Who is this?" Sasuke scowled.

_"__**Please**__ let me speak to him! I-it's an emergen-emergency!" _the woman stuttered.

"Naruto, it's for you. She won't tell me who she is, but she says it's an emergency," the suspicion in his voice alerted the blond almost instantly and he took the phone with caution.

"Uzumaki Naruto speaking."

_"N-Naruto! You have to let me have my baby back! Give Silo back to me!"_

Naruto's lips pulled back over his teeth as if he were a vicious animal, a growl rumbling deep from his throat.

"Why the hell are you calling me, Sunako? I already know you're trying to get custody, so you don't need to call me to tell me--"

_"I-I-I was so afraid that he would end up like __**him**__! I was s-s-so scared! I didn't want him to hurt me too!"_

"What the hell are you talking about?"

_"B-But now __**he**__ wants him! I don't want__** him**__ to hurt me anymore! Give me Silo!"_

"I'm putting her on speaker," Sasuke whispered and pressed a small button at the bottom of the phone's charger. Immediately, Sunako's raspy breaths were echoing throughout the room, followed by some rustling. Those were followed by a whispered 'no'.

"Sunako? Who is **he**? Who wants Silo?"

There was a frightened whimper, then Sunako was heard in the background screaming.

"Sunako!" Naruto hollered, wondering what was going on.

_"Hello, Naruto-kun," _a voice purred on the other end. _"I believe this is the first time we've spoken to each other. It seems that my good for nothing daughter couldn't keep her mouth shut about me."_

Sasuke hissed venemously at the man's voice, clearly knowing who it was.

"Orochimaru," he said the name as if it were a sin.

_"I'm flattered you remember my voice, Sasuke-kun. Ah, it's been a while, hasn't it? I'm actually fairly happy that you survived my men shooting you ten years ago. If you would have died, then we wouldn't be having this little moment together," _the snake chuckled darkly.

"Sunako's... father...?" Naruto frowned. "Sunako's father is a governor--"

_"That fool was only someone I paid to keep watch over her. I'd gotten annoyed with her and threw her out. She's lucky I had the decency to find a good home for her," _he snorted.

_"Naruto," _Sunako wailed in the background. _"I-I left because I was afraid Silo would be like him! I g-got scared and I left you! It w-wasn't because I didn't love you! I didn't want to be around someone like my father! And I... I d-didn't want him finding out I had a baby... I didn't want h-him to hurt Silo...!"_

Both Naruto and Silo froze, while Sasuke absorbed the information like a sponge.

Orochimaru chuckled.

_"Oh, but I found out. You can thank the tabloids for that. I hadn't cared that my daughter had been with you, Naruto-kun, nor did I care if you two would've gotten married. But what I __**did**__ care about was your precious little boy."_

Silo shook where he was sitting, not knowing why the snake could strike such fear inside of him. It was as if every word the man spoke sent thousands of chills throughout his body that rendered him useless. And his mother... she hadn't left because she didn't want him... she left because she was scared of him being like her father...

_"A __**grandson**__. Someone who could possibly be worth more than my worthless child. Someone who could carry on my organization once I was gone. My daughter was too weak for that, but your boy... as soon as I saw him in the papers, I wanted him. If not to keep my legacy, then to be sold for millions on the black market," _his voice held amusement. _"Such a beautiful child, even now. He would fetch me a very good sum of money."_

Naruto was too stunned to say anything, so Sasuke spoke in his place.

"You were never after Naruto to get to my brother, were you? All you wanted was Silo," he seethed. "Everything you did was to trick us and get to him!"

_"Now, that's not all true. I used Naruto-kun for both purposes. I do want to destroy the Akatsuki once and for all, __**and **__I want Silo for my own. And now that you know what I want, I'm sure you'll tell Itachi," _he crooned. _"So it looks like the end is near. Soon, we will see who comes out victorious."_

Then the line went dead right after a final whimper on Sunako's part.

Naruto snapped out of his trance-like state and whipped his head around to stare at his son, who was shaking and on the verge of tears. He'd never thought that Orochimaru would want his child... But the fact that that man was Silo's grandfather... it sickened him to the point of wanting to vomit.

Yanking out his cellphone, Sasuke walked out into the hallway.

"I'm calling my brother."

The crow wiped at his eyes, his heart hammering in his chest. He was scared to death of what was going to happen. For the past week, everything had been going okay, but now it was going downhill again. Nothing seemed to be going right for him.

"I-I don't want him to take me," he murmured pathetically, feeling so weak and helpless. "Dad, I--"

Naruto pulled him into a hug and breathed in deeply.

"No one's going to take you. Don't worry about anything because me and your Otosan would never let anything happen to you, ok?" he pulled back and gave his son a brilliant smile, despite the looming dread he felt in the pit of his stomach. "And your uncle Itachi wouldn't let anything happen to you either. You'll have the entire Akatsuki organization protecting you and who knows, maybe you'll see Majik again. He's part of the Akatsuki, remember?"

Silo smiled faintly, finding a bit of hope in the situation.

"Yeah... I'll be fine..."

xXxXx

"Action!" the director for the movie Naruto and Sasuke were in hollered while waving his hand from his director's chair. All of the filming cameras were on to catch the various angles of the scene as Naruto entered the set made to look like a convenience store.

A chubby, older man was leaning against the counter with a beer in his hand, reading through a playboy magazine. He was grumbling perverted things to himself as the blond approached him in a pair of ripped jeans and dirty grey hoodie.

"Hey, old man, where's Hotaru? He's working tonight, isn't he?"

The man looked up and grinned stupidly.

"Ah, Daisuke!" he greeted. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, but where's Hotaru?" he narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You've been keeping an eye on him, haven't you?"

"Ugn, Hota...ru...? The last time I saw him he was clocking out... Why? What happened?"

Naruto gave the gentleman a look that made him flinch and step back before he turned on his heel and shoved open the store's front doors, the bell jingling loudly.

"And scene!" the director shouted and clapped his chubby hands together, positively delighted in how his movie was moving along. "Good work, Uzumaki-san! That's it for today, minna, you can all go home!"

Sasuke, who had been watching his lover while leaning against the snack table, smirked as Naruto walked his way. He picked up a white towel from beside him and tossed it at the blond.

"Not a single mistake. You're almost up to par with my skills," he joked.

"Hah, I'm vastly superior to you when it comes to acting, oh great Sasuke-sama," Naruto teased back with a childish grin. It'd been two days since the incident with Orochimaru and Itachi had made sure that at least five Akatsuki members were on the property of Silo and Haruka's school at all times, and that two would accompany them to each class. He wasn't going to take any chances, nor was he going to let Orochimaru get what he wanted.

Sasuke laughed and headed in the direction of the exit, the both of them startled to see Tobi standing right in their way with his orange mask off to the side of his face. His cute face was something no one could help but smile at.

"Konnichiwa!" he chirped. "That was a very good preformance, Uzumaki-kun! It's no wonder why you're one of Japan's top actors!"

"Tobi," Sasuke said in a non-thrilled voice, "what are you doing here?"

The brunette blinked, then smiled shyly.

"Itachi-sama sent me. He wanted me to inform you that Orochimaru has... well, made his first move. He sent in a group to assassinate you in your home, but thankfully you two were here. The only things damaged were a few paintings and old china... which I assume belonged to your mother?" he looked at Sasuke.

Sasuke grimaced, but nodded.

"Our organization already had three members hiding out around your house, so they acted quickly once they saw the intruders. All five of the men that had been part of the attempted assassination were killed, no casualities on our part."

"If we would've been in the house..." Naruto trailed off.

"You shouldn't think about it too much," Tobi assured the blond with a cheerful smile. "Orochimaru's not stupid enough to try the same thing twice, knowing that we'll put up triple the security. But other than informing you of what happened, I'm here to escort you to the Akatsuki's main headquarters."

Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction.

"You're taking us there? I thought outsiders weren't allowed in."

Tobi nodded.

"But in this case, Itachi-sama has made an exception. I don't know how everyone else will react to his decision, but I promise that no harm will come to you. As we speak, Deidara-sempai and Sasori-kun are picking Silo-chan up from school. They'll bring him to our headquarters, as well."

"And why exactly are we being taken there?" Naruto asked as they exited the building, Tobi reaching into his cloak to have his gun at the ready in case of an emergency situation.

"We plan on keeping you there until we know for sure whether or not Orochimaru will make any more strikes. But Itachi-sama believes that it's the beginning of the end," Tobi made it sound so final, despite his childish tone. Noticing the silence as they got into his car, he laughed and waved his hand. "Everything'll be fine, though! Okay?"

Naruto tried to stomach the fact that someone he knew might die soon... That a lot of people were probably going to die in the course of the next week... That he could possibly lose Silo...

"Okay..." he mumbled, not really believing himself.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he watched the scenery outside of the car window. He'd learned a few things from his brother while growing up and if it came down to it, he'd shoot whoever he needed to in order to protect Naruto and Silo.

"Now buckle up, there's a long ride ahead of us! Next stop, Utsunomiya!" Tobi cheered.

Naruto and Sasuke grunted in the backseats, not looking forward to the three hour drive.

xXxXx

Silo bent over and stared into the tinted passenger's side window of the car that Sasori had arrived in. He knew Deidara was in there, but he couldn't see anything but his own distorted reflection. He didn't know what was going on, but he wanted answers. The red-head refused to speak about the matter and Silo was starting to wonder if the man was a mute, so for the moment, he'd have to ask the blond.

"Deidara," he chimed, pulling his school bag off of his shoulder. Haruka was standing right behind him, waiting patiently for the answers the both of them wanted to hear. "Open up the door! I don't want to get in the car unless someone tells me what's going on!"

The window started rolling down and Deidara was sitting with his legs crossed in the front of the vehicle. He had on sunglasses that Silo suspected were to disguise him, and his akatsuki cloak was folded neatly on his lap. They really should've made summer versions of the uniform.

"Can't you ever just do something without being told why, un? If you gotta know, there was an attempt at an assassination at the Uchiha estate. Fortunately, everyone was out of the home and the Oto members responsible were disposed of, un. Itachi-sama gave us direct orders to come here and pick both you and Haruka up, so that we could bring you back to our headquarters in Utsunomiya. Now get in the damn car before I knock your block off, un."

Well, Deidara was clearly pissed off.

Silo frowned, but opened the back door and climbed in, helping Haruka get in as well.

"Don't mind him," Sasori spoke deeply and quietly, stunning the crow into silence. He'd never heard the man speak before. "He's upset that he has to work on what is usually his day off."

"Fuckin' Oto bastards!" Deidara cursed loudly, crossing his arms in an aloof manner. "This was my first day off in two weeks, un!"

"But... my dad and Otosan are okay, right? They're not hurt, are they?" Silo asked.

"They're fine," Sasori answered him, pulling out of the teacher's parking lot. "Tobi is driving them to Utsunomiya, as well, so you'll see them soon enough. Until we know for sure if Orochimaru is really making his final move, we'll need to keep you and your parents at our headquarters."

Haruka, having been filled in on what was going on two days ago, reached out to touch Silo's arm. His rough fingertips ran down the clothed arm until he could take his boyfriend's hand in his. He smiled reassuringly, getting another smile in return. Oh, how he wish he could see that smile more clearly.

"Everything will be fine," he said.

Silo couldn't help but believe his words, all of his hope resting within them.

xXxXx

As an hour had gone by too slowly for anyone's liking, Silo and Haruka had found themselves falling asleep in the back of Sasori all but too comfortable car. The sound of the gravel underneath the rubber tires lulled Silo to sleep, while the sound of the faint music in the background was enough to knock Haruka out. They'd been asleep for a solid eleven minutes before Deidara started cursing loud enough to wake the dead.

"Go to the right, un! Fuck, how'd they find out what we were doing?.!"

Silo rubbed his eyes, then opened them, just in time to see the windshield crack violently as a bullet hit it and bounced off. His heart was caught in his throat as the car jerked from the rough terrain they were driving through in order to get away.

"What's going on?" Haruka asked, having just woken up.

"Just keep your seatbelts on and don't move," Sasori said calmly while speeding through the wheat field. They were on the outskirts of a small town that looked pretty much like a ghost town.

Something rammed into the back end of the car and Silo swore he could see stars when he was jerked forward so violently the seatbelt cut into his neck and collarbone. He could hear Haruka calling his name, but to him, it sounded as if he were underwater. Everything was toned down and his breathing was louder than usual.

Then the vehicle came to a halt all together, Deidara and Sasori unfastening their seatbelts before shoving open their doors.

"Stay there, un!" Deidara shouted as he slammed his door shut and gunshots rang through the air.

Silo could feel his breathing becoming harsher and harsher as the feeling of being underwater left him. He gripped the part of his shirt that was over his chest and tightly closed his eyes. This had happened before and he'd thought he;d lost Sasuke...

He could still feel Haruka's hand tightly around his and whimpered. He refused to risk the lives of anyone else again.

Eyes opening and coming into focus, he pulled his hand away from his boyfriend's and began searching around the car, throwing papers and used cigarettes around until he found what he was looking for. His heart sped up, but he refused to back down from his decision. Sure, Deidara was going to be mad at him for not listening, but he didn't care.

"Silo, what're you doing?" Haruka asked, concerned. He had no clue what Silo was doing.

"I'm sorry, Haruka-kun," Silo apologized. "I'll be fine. Just stay here."

"What...? Si--" he stopped himself when he heard his lover's door open and felt his presence disappear before the door was shut again. He was too startled to register what had happened, his body stiff.

Silo gripped the gun in his hand so tightly, as if it were the answer to all life's questions. His body was shaking, but he wasn't going to back down. He wasn't going to be a damsel in distress again! He watched Deidara kick a guy to the ground and fire twice at his head before racing around a stalled vehicle to yank its driver's side door open. He flinched when he heard the pleas for mercy.

Suddenly, the head beams of an approaching car blinded him and he flinched away, but he still took aim, his arms shaking. He hoped to whatever god existed that his shots wouldn't miss and he fired, the force of the exiting bullet making his arms tingle.

He could hear the windshield of the car break and the yell of someone in the car, so he kept firing until all of his bullets ran out. Lowering the gun, he panicked. He should've looked for ammunition, too! Looking up in fear, he could see the outline of three Oto members in front of the bright high beams and he could hear a nagging voice in the back of his head tell him that it was all over, that he'd had a good run at life, but it was time to end it.

"Not yet..." he aimed again and pulled the trigger, but all he could hear was a distant clicking sound. He wasn't going to give up, so he kept trying to fire the gun.

"Is that the boy Orochimaru-sama wants?" a female voice asked with a thick Chinese accent. "If he is, don't shoot him."

_I won't let them take me! _ Silo promised himself and kept trying to fire the weapon, frustrated to the point that he wanted to cry. It couldn't end like this, could it? But it was his fault he would have this fate... If he would've stayed in the car, then maybe everything would've been okay...?

Lowering his head, he pulled the trigger one last time, in hopes of it working, but knowing it wouldn't.

The sound of a gunshot rang through the air and Silo's eyes widened, his head snapping up fast enough to catch the falling body of one of the Oto members. Had he...?

"Sorry, but I ain't gonna let ya soil your hands with blood, Little Miss," a familiar voice boomed from above him before a cloaked figure leaped down from atop the car, landing next to the crow. He took aim again and was able to take down the other two men within a split second.

Tears came to Silo's eyes and he dropped his empty gun on the ground.

"M-Majik...?" he prayed that the boy in front of him wasn't an illusion.

The black and white-haired teenager gave him a cocky grin.

"In the flesh. I didn't plan on seein' ya until I got completely better and Orochimaru was finished up with, but I was too tempted to follow ya guys to the base, ya know?"

The dark-haired male smiled and let the tears fall from his eyes. He'd thought he'd never see his good friend again...

"You'll be okay now, ya got it? I don't plan on up and leavin' again, so you'll have my protection until this is all over," Majik promised him with his own smile of apology. "I promise."

Silo was sure of it now.

Everything **was** going to be fine.

**Only a few more chapters left until the epilogue of JLH! Please leave your reviews! Let's give this fic as many reviews as possible, dattebayo! :cheers:**


	50. Loss

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**I'm surprised none of you have yelled at me to update faster XD I try, believe me. It's just soooo difficult when ya have OCD, are dealing with school, and have to babysit a majority of the week :pout: but yeah, I'll try to update faster since this story's almost over with.**

**Please review!**

**Also, during the scene with Naruto and Sasuke, I listened to the song 'Gravity' by Sara Bareilles. OMG, it's such a beautiful and sad song. If you listen to it while reading, it sort of brings out this tight feeling in your chest. If not, you have no heart XD**

There were at least thirty men inside of the stone basement, all of them wearing something similar to the Akatsuki cloaks, but the red clouds were missing. Naruto assumed it was because they weren't of a higher rank, but as he examined them, quite a few of them glared at him. The blond gulped and laughed nervously, gripping Sasuke's hand a little tighter than before.

"They don't like the idea of outsiders being allowed into headquarters," Tobi explained. "The last person that wasn't a part of the Akatsuki and brought here... well, they ended up being sold on the black market, each body part individually sealed in its own baggy," he laughed. "But don't worry, that won't happen to you."

Sasuke could swear he saw Naruto's soul leave his body and chuckled.

"My brother wouldn't let anything happen to us, so calm down."

"I would soooo much rather be home having sex with you, right now," the actor sighed and shrunk away from a rather large man with scars all down the side of his jaw. The guy grunted at him and Naruto swallowed thickly. Yes, he'd much rather be having sex.

"Wouldn't we all?" Sasuke retorted with a smirk, stopping when Tobi stopped by a group of women, most of them staring at the two unknown men as if they wanted to gut them. One of the females, though, a shorter girl with red hair and a black headband, smiled at Sasuke as if she knew him.

"You're Leader-sama's younger brother, aren't you?" at that, all of her companions stiffened and put on fake smiles, scared that the smaller Uchiha would inform their boss of their rudeness. As a matter of fact, the whole room seemed a lot less uncomfortable now that the cat was out of the bag. "I saw pictures of you when I was in his office once. You're just as handsome as he is!"

Sasuke smiled slightly, even though he knew his lover wanted to rip the girl's head off.

"Thank you."

"Ladies, do you happen to know where Itachi-sama might be? He wasn't in the entrance hall when we arrived, but I know for a fact he's not in his office," Tobi pulled his mask up and twisted it to the side of his head, his cinnamon brown bangs hanging in his eyes.

The tallest girl pointed her thumb behind her, to where there were two large metal doors. "He and Hidan-san are making a transaction with someone, but I don't think it's going to end too pre--" before she could finish, the shout of a man behind the closed doors echoed around the building, followed by two gunshots. "See?"

Naruto flinched. Just because Itachi was practically family didn't mean he agreed with the way he went about things. In many ways, he was just like Orochimaru, but... he definitely only did the things he did because he had no other choice, and because he needed to protect the ones he cared about from the problems he created. But still, he didn't need to kill so many people, did he?

As if reading his thoughts, Sasuke placed a hand on the blond's shoulder.

"If he could, he would much rather shoot himself than anyone."

"I know..." Naruto grumbled, wondering how Itachi could keep himself sane through his job. If he had to kill someone, he didn't know if would be able to handle the guilt.

The two large doors were pushed open after a minute or two and a lower rank Akatsuki member came out with the dead man's body slung over his bulky shoulder. He threw it on the ground and ordered two smaller men to discard of it, Naruto not even wanting to know what they did with the bodies. Itachi and Hidan soon followed the gentleman out of the room, the leader on silver crutches. His hair was loose and flowing over his shoulders, his face a little paler than usual.

"Naruto-kun, Otouto, I'm glad you made it here safely," Itachi hobbled over to them and it sort of disturbed Sasuke to see his big brother in such a weak state. Hidan supported him, though, placing a chaste kiss right along his jaw. "Unfortunately, I have to say that Silo-kun and Haruka-kun ran into some trouble on the way here."

Naruto eyes widened. "What happened?.! They're ok, aren't they?.!" his fingers gripped Sasuke's hand tightly, but the raven didn't notice. He was too busy trying to keep his anger from boiling over. If Orochimaru had hurt his son in any way, he was going to slit the snake's throat!

Hidan nodded, grinning.

"Majik showed up just before Silo could be taken by some members from Oto. He gunned down the remaining men and everyone's back on there way here right now. Sasori said they should be arriving in twenty minutes, but..."

Itachi frowned.

"Orochimaru has made two moves, so now it's our turn. Once we have everyone here safely, I'll be sending a few of my men out to supposed Oto bases and have the buildings burned to the ground," the older Uchiha said calmly. "I've already had enough."

Naruto sighed, relieved now that he knew his son was alright. Everything was just getting too damn dangerous and close for comfort. When he'd first held Silo in his arms fifteen years ago, he'd never imagined something like this would ever happen. He never would've thought that someone like Orochimaru would be after his little boy.

"Kinpatsu, how about you and Sasuke-chan go rest in one of our guest rooms. They're made especially for 'special' visitors, such as yourselves. We don't let people in here often, so they've never really gone to use," Hidan had his arm around Itachi's shoulders, supporting him. "Naomi-chan, show them to a guest room," he ordered the same red-head from before, her smile not able to be any brighter.

"Yes, sir!" she stepped away from her friends and headed down a narrow hallway, the heels of her boots clicking against the floor noisily. "Follow me!"

Both Sasuke and Naruto trailed behind her, the raven glancing back at his sickly-looking brother. He'd never seen his sibling in such a condition and honestly, he was worried. Itachi was really the only true family he had left and he would be lying if he said he didn't love him.

"He doesn't want us to see him like that," Naruto stated, as if reading his lover's mind. "He's so strong, you know? It must be tough for him to go through all of this right after he got out of the hospital."

Naomi pushed open a screen door and bowed to them.

"This will be your room for the remainder of your stay. And remember, you can always trust in the Akatsuki to protect you!" she chirped. "Leader-sama said that you were top priority!"

Sasuke sighed, but smiled slightly.

"Thank you. We'll call for you if we need anything..."

"Okay!" then Naomi closed the door behind them and headed off in the direction of the main room where everyone else was, the chatter not as loud inside of the cozy room. The bed was a king size with plain white and light blue blankets, nothing extravagant. But what did they expect? Satin sheets? There was also a small dresser by the bed that had a single candle on it, a telephone, and a couple of worn out books.

"You know what?" Naruto sat down on the bed and crossed his arms over his bent knees, inhaling deeply. He chuckled. "I didn't realize what exactly we were getting ourselves into until just now. It all seemed so... unreal, like a movie. Everyone could die, everyone could live... it's like a game."

Sasuke sat next him and looked up at the ceiling.

"Aniki did say that... he would start a game. Unfortunately, I don't think this was what he meant," he let his eyes wander downward and land on the handsome face of his boyfriend. Truthfully, he could stare into those cerulean eyes for all eternity and never get bored. He believed that the only reason he was still sane was because of the wonderful man beside him.

Naruto snorted, running a hand through his unruly hair.

"This is bullshit... I didn't... I didn't get my forever with you," he smiled faintly, looking over at Sasuke with sad eyes. "Sappy, I know, but... I **really** wanted to grow old with you, experience everything in life with you. I wanted to live in some old retirement home with you and play bingo," he laughed lightly, putting his hand on Sasuke's.

"You act as if we're both going to die," Sasuke frowned. "As long as we stay here, we should be fine until the problem's solved."

The blond straightened up.

"Never think that everything's going to go your way all of the time," he told his lover. "Thinking that way... sometimes, it gets you nowhere. You have to plan ahead, look at things realistically for a change. There **is** a chance that we could both die..."

"That's called negative thinking," Sasuke smirked, trying to keep the mood light.

Naruto grinned, playing along.

"And that's called avoiding the topic."

"Well, I don't really want to talk about the possibility of us dying," Sasuke scowled.

"I don't want you to leave," Naruto said suddenly, off topic. There was raw emotion in those words, his adams apple bobbing slightly. His jaw was locked and tense, as if he was trying to keep himself from crying. "Not again."

Sasuke stared at him, surprised.

"I'm not... going to die, dobe," he sighed. "Nothing's going to happen to us, so--" he was rudely cut off when a pair of warm lips were pushed against his, soft and inviting. He groaned at the feeling and kissed back, his eyes slipping shut. Kissing Naruto was like sleeping in on a warm summer's day, in Sasuke's opinion. It made his stomach churn pleasantly and made him feel so comfortable.

Naruto wasn't perverted enough to just have his way with Sasuke because he was aroused. No, he just wanted to show his lover just how much he loved him. If things were to turn out horribly, then at least Sasuke would know he loved him with all of his heart. Even after learning that Sunako still cared for him... he didn't care. All he wanted was Sasuke.

"Naruto..." the raven whispered when those pink lips pulled away, his cheeks slightly flushed. Never in his life had he felt such a rush. It was as if there was something more to that kiss than there ever was before. "Don't expect me to let you do anything to me here."

The blond smiled, almost sadly.

"Sasuke, I love you," he breathed. "I just wanted--" lips smashed against his and he groaned, having never known that sweet words would get Sasuke to give in so easily. Or maybe it wasn't that, he thought. Maybe it was because his lover could feel how much he wanted to do this. His arms enveloped the young Uchiha in a warm embrace and their kiss deepened, as if it was the last time it was going to happen.

Sasuke didn't fight back when he was gently pushed back onto the comfortable bed, a tan hand on his pale cheek. Their mouths never seperated, two hearts beating at the same pace. They felt so connected in that moment, each of them pulling apart only to whisper to each other how much they cared about the other.

Naruto could feel tears well up in his eyes and he quickly shut them before Sasuke could see them. He leaned down and started another round of heated kisses, enjoying the feel of soft skin and rough cloth beneath him. He'd die over and over again just to feel this forever. Everything just felt so final and it scared him.

'I love you' is what was said the entire time they made love, loud enough for Itachi to hear when he passed by slowly on his crutches. He wasn't even fazed by the words of endearment or the act his brother and boyfriend were doing in one of his guest rooms. He knew how they felt and he was still trying to cope with the fact that there was a fifty percent chance he would survive and a fifty percent chance he wouldn't.

Face blank, he turned the corner and disappeared.

--

Majik looked down at Silo, who was holding both his and Haruka's hands, his head leaning against his boyfriend's shoulder. He looked so worn out, light bags under his eyes from worrying so much and not getting enough sleep. The dark-haired by was falling in and out of consciousness, his fingers gripping and ungripping both of their hands.

"I heard you're supposed to get surgery soon," Majik spoke quietly to Haruka, so as not to startle the crow. Deidara was grumbling up front, texting someone who seemed to be pissing him off, while Sasori was calmly meneuvering his way down side roads. "For your eyes, I mean."

Haruka was staring out the window, not too pleased with Majik at the moment. He'd taken advantage of Silo in a moment of weakness, had broken his heart when he'd left, and now he just decided to come back, thinking no one would be mad? He squinted, seeing faint blurs of color in the darkness.

"They discovered some sort of plant extract that can supposedly cure blindness. My father's supposed to take me next week, but I'm not really sure if I'll get to go."

Majik snorted.

"Do ya think you're goin' to die or somethin'? Do ya have no faith in the Akatsuki at all?"

Haruka frowned to himself, noticing that the conversation had attracted the attention of Deidara, who's crystal blue eyes could be seen staring at them in the rear-view miror. Sasori kept his eyes on the road, but Majik knew he was eavesdropping.

"Quit jumping to conclusions. It's not that I don't have faith in your organization, it's just I don't know how long it'll be before I can get back to the city," the blind teenager sneered, clearly not pleased. He was starting to dislike his best friend.

"No need to get so fuckin' pissy," Majik crossed his arms, letting Silo's small hand fall onto the seat.

"Calm down, un," Deidara growled at them. "Itachi-sama isn't in the best of conditions and he's resting, so keep your voices down when we arrive, got it?"

"Got it," both Haruka and Majik said in unison, snorting once they realized that. It was as if their friendship was crumbling right in front of their eyes. Though, neither of them wanted to admit that it was because of Silo.

--

Hidan was leaning against the closed door of his and Itachi's in-stay room. It was specially made for them when they had to stay at the headquarters overnight, though that was very rare. The light on the ceiling was dimmed enough to let his lover rest, the pale man breathing in deeply as he slept. He looked so exhausted, bags under his eyes and his frail body no longer hidden beneath his black and red cloak.

"You better make it through this," he whispered, frowning. He knew that Itachi was sick, but he hoped to whatever god existed that the man could make it through all of this in one piece. He'd had to leave the hospital early, before his wounds could completely heal, and he'd managed to get sick as well.

Pushing away from the wall, he stepped over to the bed that Itachi was resting on and kneeled down, using his left hand to brush stray bangs out of his husband's face. The male was definitely gorgeous, even when in ill health. He smiled when those endless pits of cobalt opened up slowly, a pink tongue darting out to run over dry lips.

"Hidan?" he asked quietly, moving his hand up to grab onto his lover's.

"I called in the medics to give you a check-up," Hidan commented, kissing those slender fingers. "They should be here in a little while."

Itachi let his lips lift upward slightly.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me, I do it all the time," the silver-haired Akatsuki member grinned cheekily. "Plus, you look like shit. I can't have people seeing me with such an ugly husband!" he laughed.

Itachi let himself chuckle as well, a serious expression falling onto his hardened features almost immediately after, his dark eyes looking straight into deep violet.

"Could you inform Tobi and everyone else to start heading back to Tokyo? I received a paper half an hour ago that said Oto was moving, so we need to strike quickly. Deidara and Sasori won't be able to participate, but I'm sure they won't be too disappointed," he inhaled deeply and sighed. "Also, tell them to take guns and ammunition, most targets will be moving."

"Yes, Itachi-sama," Hidan smiled softly, using Itachi's name. God, if he lost the man in front of him, he didn't know what he'd do. "But... would it be alright if I tagged along? It wouldn't be right for the leader's second hand man to stand by, watching everyone else."

"If you were to leave, then this might be our final moment together," Itachi stated, voice dull. "You choose to take this chance?"

With reluctance, Hidan nodded gripped his love's hand with his tightly.

"Then farewell," the dark-haired man couldn't hold back his pained smile. The mission was going to be an extremely dangerous one, so he knew that the chances of Hidan surviving were a forty to one hundred chance. His heart ached thinking about it, but he had to be strong. He was a leader, he couldn't show... he couldn't show his weakness.

But his shell was beginning to crack.

"I'll be back by midnight tonight," Hidan promised, grinning. "So don't worry your pretty little head, ok? Just focus on getting better. You're getting older, yes, but you've been through so much more than this. You can pull through."

"I'm not going to die," Itachi's face was about to give in to the fear and dread he felt. Once his husband left, he'd be left alone to worry about whether or not he'd survive and come back. He slipped his hand away from Hidan's and wrapped his arms around the taller man's shoulders, pressing his face against a warm neck.

Hidan reciprocated the embrace and closed his eyes. Life seemed to be so difficult.

"I'll come back. Don't worry."

"I know," Itachi replied, leaning back to kiss his lover passionately, remembering the last time he and Hidan had made love. He could almost feel those warm lips on his skin, those talented fingers against his jaw, the heated breath across his neck. If the man could come back alive, then they'd definitely relive that night, no matter how much pain Itachi would be in at the time. "Good luck."

"So out of character for you, Weasal-san! You never wish anyone luck," he licked his lips and laughed joyfully. He stood up and placed a final kiss on his husband's forehead. "But I will definitely come back tonight, so rest and I'll be right beside you later. I love you... bye..."

"Good-bye..." Itachi looked down, not watching Hidan leave and close the door behind him.

Everything suddenly felt so cold and empty.

--

(Four hours later in Tokyo)

Tobi peaked around one of the aging brick walls of an old house, watching the Oto members come closer in their jeeps and rusted trucks. They were laughing and sharing beer and cigarettes, as carefree as a bunch of newborns. Orochimaru had different men control their own sections of members, so he was positive that the snake wasn't involved in that group at all. That was good. It meant that it would be a lot easier to take them down.

"Are the machine guns set up?" he spoke into a little mouthpiece by his lips that curled up into an earpiece. "You can use as many bullets as you want, there are no civilians in this area. It's an abandoned construction zone."

_"Machine guns are in position, Tobi-san!"_ a female voice came from his earpiece, followed by Kakuzu, the man cursing for the lower members to hurry up and find the grenades.

The masked gentleman pulled out his gun and stepped back, running up a rickety stairwell that led to the balcony of the old him, his hazel eyes calculating the exact movements of the men below. He reached into his coat and pulled out a small bullet, its red hue making it different from a regular bullet.

_"Hold the gun as far away from you as possible so that the gasoline doesn't get on you,"_ the same female voice spoke up, serious.

Tobi loaded his weapon and did just that, pointing it at the large crowd of men. He fired and over a hundred pairs of eyes shot up to his direction, only looking away when a shower of dark rain fell over them. Before they knew it, Hidan stood on the roof of the apartment complex across the street, a bunch of grenades in his arms.

"Burn in hell, fuckers!" he shouted and laughed, yanking the pins out of each one individually and throwing them down into the large group. There were shouts and guns fired, but those were all consumed by the yelling and screaming when the grenades went off and the men went up in flames.

_"A few men escaped down back alleyways on your side, Tobi-san!"_

The brunette jumped from the balcony and landed in a crouched position, quickly springing up and running behing the home, the tall grass gowing up to his covered knees. He hadn't had this sort of a rush in a while, he thought, spotting a moving figure up ahead. He loaded his gun with regular bullets and aimed, shooting the Oto member in the back of the neck. He shot three more times into the shadows when he saw something move.

"Why, if it isn't Tobi-kun," a voice came from behind the Akatsuki member, causing his eyes to widen his eyes behind his orange mask. He turned around slowly, only to see Kabuto standing there with a small pistol pointed at him. The younger man pushed his spectacles further up the bridge up his nose and smiled. "It's been a while. A couple of years?"

Tobi frowned.

"Kabu--" the gun was fired and he felt a bullet enter his chest, his body stiffening. He stumbled back and fell over a fallen trash can, his back hitting a pile of filled trash bags. His chest heaved harshly and he coughed up blood, his mask hanging around his neck by its thin string.

Kabuto smirked.

"I just said that it'd been a while. That wasn't an invitation to speak."

He put his gun away and pulled out a small paring knife, which was usually used to peel fruits or vegetables. He looked at his reflection in the silver knife and grinned darkly, kicking at Tobi's side roughly. He watched in satisfaction as the male coughed up more blood, trying to move. Unfortunately, his body was starting to go numb.

"Just in case you haven't noticed, I filled the bullet with poison. That's why you can't move your limbs," he chuckled, bending down and holding the knife by Tobi's face. "I'm only going to kill you, as a warning to Itachi-san. Now, do you have any departing words?"

Tobi's face was mostly blank, his body becoming cold and unresponsive.

_So this is the end, is it? Matsuri, Tooku... I'm sorry that I can't be in your lives longer..._

He didn't speak, so Kabuto snorted and twirled the knife in his hand before plunging it downward into Tobi's neck, sliding it down until blood was running everywhere. He laughed darkly as the man coughed and sputtered, not able to get any air.

_Itachi-san... forgive me for failing you... At least it was me.. instead... instead of Hidan...san... I... I just... just..._

His eyelids slowly closed and his head lulled to the side, blood running from the corner of his mouth.

"Good-bye," Kabuto smirked and stood up, tossing the knife into the dirt. "Sweet dreams."

--

"Tobi!" Hidan called, kicking one of the burnt bodies to the side so that one of the lower members could take it and throw it onto the pile. "Tobi!" he called again, annoyed. "Where the fuck are you?.!"

"H-H-Hidan-san!" a skinny man with shirt black hair ran out from behind the back of one of the houses. "Hidan-san, come here! Quickly!"

Hidan ran to him, shoving his gun into his cloak and wiping blood from his neck. He wondered what the newbie was so upset about and stopped dead in his tracks when he turned the corner and saw his good friend's body lying with the trash, pale and unmoving. Blood was all over his neck and face, soaking into his cloak as well. His hair was even matted down with the thick substance.

"Tobi..." he muttered.

"His throat was slit open, sir... and there's a gunshot wound to his chest..." the new member spoke quietly, clearly upset with the death of one of his most respected senseis.

Anger wasn't even the right word to describe was was coursing through his veins at that moment. He would hunt down whoever killed his friend and rip them limb from limb, and he would enjoy every goddamn moment of it. Tobi still had a beautiful wife and growing little girl to watch over... he couldn't be dead!

"Who did this...?"

The skinnier member slowly placed his hand on Hidan's shoulder for comfort, but he was shoved away harshly.

"Who the fuck did this?.!"

**Please review! And awwww, Tobi's dead :sniffles: I loved him.**


	51. And It All Falls Down Around Us

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**RIP Tobi; you were a good man, a good husband, and a good father.**

**Take note that this IS in the future, so some of the weapons and things they do might seem a little out of the ordinary. Especially all the things Majik uses :grin: he's just so badass.**

Itachi threw his crutches to the floor with enough force to break them, his black eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. His anger rolled off of him in waves and the upset female in front of him got even more hysterical, tears rolling down her cheeks and dripping from her trembling jaw. She watched her leader rush past her, clearly in pain without the help of his crutches, and clutched the report to her chest.

Outside of his room, quite a few of the female Akatsuki members were gathered, mourning the loss of their brightest and most endearing companion. The softest of the men comforted them with handsome smiles, while the more toughened men stood elsewhere with scowls on their faces. Everyone in the entire compound was distraught by the death of Tobi.

"His poor wife and child!" one of the women cried.

"That little girl's going to grow up without a father," a blond-haired man crossed his arms and sighed. "Imagine how heartbroken she's going to be when she finds out."

"Hokuro-sama said that there were other casualties, too," a man stated. "What if something happened to Hidan-san? Or Kakuzu-san?"

"Shush, Itachi-sama's coming."

The seething Uchiha shoved his way past them, pushing open the door that lead to his office. His pitch black hair was flowing over his shoulders like water as he bent over a leather chair to grab the beautiful Genshiryoku that Hidan had given him as a wedding gift. He was going to kill however many people he could with it, cover it in the blood it was meant to be drenched in. The weapon was made for slaughter, so slaughter it shall.

"Aniki, what's going on?" Sasuke asked, appearing just outside of the open door. Naruto was by his side, looking just as confused and frazzled as the raven. When they'd come out of their guest room, everyone had quieted down to a low buzz so as not to worry anyone else.

Naruto looked beside and around him, noticing the stares that everyone was giving them. All of their eyes were pools of anger and sadness, and there was an aching sensation in his chest that told him something horrible had happened.

"Tobi is dead," Itachi growled.

"What?.!" Naruto was shocked. He'd just seen the man the day before... He envisioned his wife and little girl and gritted his teeth, feeling awful for the man they'd lost. "H-How did he die? Who killed him?"

Itachi inhaled, as if he would start shooting everyone in the room out of anger if he didn't calm himself down. "He was shot in the heart, then his throat was slit. The report I recieved informed me that it was Kabuto's doing."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he remembered Kabuto standing beside Kimimaro when he was shot in front of Silo.

"I'm heading to where my men are," Itachi hid his gun away, along with a few different knives and small capsules that neither Naruto nor Sasuke recognized. He straightened the collar of his cloak, his expression blank. His anger was gone, replaced with a numbing feeling in his chest. He wouldn't give Orochimaru the sick satisfaction of knowing that the murder of Tobi got to him.

Sauke bit the inside of his cheek to keep from shouting at his brother. He didn't want to lose the only part of his family that he still loved and cherished, but it was Itachi's job and duty to protect his men and get rid of the snake bastard...

"Good luck, Itachi-sama," most of the leader's men wished him the best of luck, bowing to him as he passed by with a limp. His leg sent searing shocks of pain up along his spine, but he ignored it and two members opened the base's main doors for him.

_Don't die, _Sasuke wished to himself. To him, even though he didn't want to admit it at times, Itachi was one of the most important things in his life. To lose his precious older brother would be like losing a part of himself, a part of his childhood that he kept in his heart.

Naruto sighed and placed a hand on his lover's shoulder, smiling to him in a reassuring manner. He was scared to death, but he wanted to be strong for Sasuke.

"Dad! Otosan!" Silo ran in just before the doors were shut, followed by Haruka. He saw his parents and ran into their arms, so happy to finally see them safe. After what he'd been through, he was glad that his family hadn't been hurt. His boyfriend stood a foot away from them, not wanting to bother them. He was worried about his own father and Iruka, but he knew they would be fine.

"Silo...!" Naruto hugged his boy tightly to him as if it was their last moment together. "You have blood all over you... Are you okay?"

The crow nodded and smiled tiredly. "We had a run-in with some Oto members, but we're all fine. Isn't that right, Majik? You saved--" he stiffened when he turned and Majik was nowhere in sight. "M-Majik?"

"Deidara and Sasori are missing, too," Sasuke frowned.

Silo was held back by his father's strong arms when he tried to run back to the door.

"They went with Itachi, didn't they...?" the boy whispered pathetically, stopping his jerking movements. Majik had just been in his grasp moments ago... and now he was gone again. He tried not to cry, feeling completely weak and useless. "I don't want Majik fighting," his voice cracked. "He might..."

"That was the path that he chose," Sasuke sighed. "He knows that he could die, and he accepted that a long time ago. The only you can do is pray for him now."

The dark-haired teenager glance over at Haruka and reached his hand out to take his boyfriend's hand, hoping to get a comforting smile from the handsome man. When he got the warm upturn of lips that he always craved, he let himself fall into Haruka's embrace instead. He knew that the relationship between his two best friends was rocky at the moment, but he knew that Haruka still deeply cared for Majik...

"He'll be fine."

"I hope so..."

--

"Is this supposed to be some poor version of a blitzkrieg, un?" Deidara asked while in the passenger's side of the car. Sasori was driving him, Majik, and Itachi over a long bridge that was under construction. It loomed high over the area where Oto members were supposedly passing through. The Norwegian zipped up his coat and made sure the small back pack he was wearing was on right, also adjusting the thin mask he had on just in case of Oto decided to use some gas bombs.

Once they reached a certain spot on the bridge, Sasori sped up, his speed gage only going higher and higher. He looked into the rear view mirror at Majik, watching the younger member peer out the window through the slits in his mask.

"It's almost time," Itachi said, his eyes peering straight ahead. "Kill as many as you can, away from the key points we spoke of. No civilians are to know of what's going on."

Majik nodded, holding onto the top of Sasori's seat. He inhaled deeply and looked down at the ground that seemed miles away, noticing a blotch of red and orange. That must've been Hidan using his bombs.

"They're down there, un! Go!" Deidara ordered.

Shoving the door open, Majik stood and held onto the seats, looking down at the ground. Then, before Deidara could tell him to go again, he jumped out as far as he could go and fell toward the earth backwards, his violet eyes catching the car everyone was in continuing its path along the bridge. He spun around and yanked open his parachute when he was close to the ground, seeing a bunch of people running through the abandoned streets below.

He replaced his nervous frown with a grin and tugged various pieces of metal out from his deep pockets, quickly putting them together. He pulled out a few more smaller parts and hooked them on. Then pulling out a package that he ripped open with his teeth, he loaded the ammunition into his weapon and aimed down at the streets.

His grin widened as he shot off a bullet, his eyes reflecting the blast that came from the impact on the ground. Buildings crumbled and dust swirled into the air, the shouts and screams of Oto members music to Majik's ears. He laughed, almost insanely, as he shot off more, his feet touching the roof of an old warehouse. He yanked his bag off of his back and threw it away from him.

He pulled out his cellphone and called a familiar number, his amethyst eyes scanning the dusty area. Dead bodies were lying on the destoroyed roads, some people still squirming and screaming in pain. He had to find the other Akatsuki members quicky if they were going to kill Oto off efficiently.

_"Majik, are you okay?"_ Hidan asked, his voice breaking up a bit and the sound of gunshots coming through the earpiece of the phone.

"I'm fine," the Norwegian teenager answered, stepping backwards and running to climb down the fire escape. He couldn't hear anything except for the blazing fire from the small bombs and Hidan's exhausted breathing. "Where are ya and the others? I have to contact Itachi and tell 'im, so that he can meet up with us--"

"**Fuck**, Itachi's with you?.!" Hidan snarled. "What the hell does he think he's going to accomplish with an injured leg?.! Find him and get him the hell outta here!"

Majik frowned.

"He refused when I asked 'im to stay outta this. Ya know 'im, he's stubborn."

Hidan sighed and the gunshots stopped.

"Meet us at the abandoned candle factory that's by the west side of the bridge. That's where we're stationed at the moment," then the silver-haired man's line went dead.

--

Hidan retreated into the candle factory once one of his men had told him that their leader had entered the factory a few minutes ago. He wiped the sweat from his dirty face and ran up the rickety stairs, up to the dirty loft that was loaded with old boxes full of broken candles and the holders. He saw Deidara sitting at the table made from milk crates, Sasori settled across from him.

Itachi was resting in a corner, breathing hard and clutching his side. He hadn't even bothered to put his hair in a ponytail, the black tresses falling in his face and over his shoulders. His dark eyes lifted when he heard his lover enter, a soft smile on his hardened face.

"Weasal-san," Hidan went to his husband and fell to his knees on the floor, pushing the hair out of his face. "What are you doin' here? Why didn't you just stay at the base?"

"If you die, I plan to be here to avenge you," Itachi answered honestly, his more loving and soft side shining through. "And kill myself when the battle is won."

Hidan chuckled.

"Ass hole, don't say shit like that," he leaned in and pulled his husband into a deep kiss, having missed those soft lips. He wanted that moment to last forever.

"Not to be rude," Sasori started, his voice smooth, "but I haven't received a message from Majik yet. Should we search for him? He could have been captured."

Hidan pulled away from Itachi and stood up, his hand along the raven's jaw. He stroked the skin there and looked down at where the entrance to the factory was, only seeing the few guards there standing idly by.

"Deidara, Sasori, go find him. I'm going to take care of Weasal-san and put fresh bandages on his leg," Hidan grinned at them. "Don't get yourselves killed."

"Sure, un," the blond-haired member ran down the stairs with Sasori on his tail, the both of them being bowed to by their lower rank comrades as they went by on their search for Hidan's little brother.

"Go with them," Itachi ordered him softly.

"No, they can take care of themselves," Hidan smiled. "You need some tender love and care right now. I'm sure your leg hurts like a bitch."

Itachi just smiled back, not one to pass up a moment with his beloved.

--

"This is all we can do..."

Naruto stared down at the hole in the ground with dark blue eyes, pain searing through his chest. He couldn't block out the desparate cries of Matsuri, Tobi's windowed wife. She sat on her knees, hunched over with her hands covering her face as she begged for all of this to be a horrible dream. Tooku, her daughter, stood beside her with a confused look on her face. She tugged on her mother's sleeve gently.

"Mama... why are they putting Papa in there? Why is he sleeping in that big box?" she asked, pointing to the coffin that some of the Akatsuki members had placed Tobi in. She couldn't comprehend what was happening, her big eyes roaming around to look at all of the sad faces. "How come everyone's crying, Mama?"

Matsuri lowered her hands, here eyes red and her face drenched in her tears. She pulled Tooku against her with one arm, the other one resting upon her bulging stomach. Never had she imagined she'd have to raise another child by herself...

"T-Tooku, darling... Papa ... he's going to be gone for a little while..." her smile was so broken that Naruto couldn't even stand to look at it, his face turning from them to face the silent Sasuke. The raven was looking down at the hole, unmoving. "B-But don't worry... he's coming b-back..." she broke down then, burying her beautiful face into her small child's neck.

The tiny girl ran her hand over her mother's long curls to comfort her.

"Where is he going...?"

"I-I-I don't know, s-sweetie..." Matsuri sobbed. "But h-he'll come back... Mama needs him and loves him... I love him...!" she begged for Naruto to take her daughter away so she couldn't see her crying, and the blond did just that, lifting Tooku and letting her sit on his shoulders.

Leaving the funeral ground, Naruto took her inside and put on his best smile as he zoomed around like an airplane. He enjoyed her giggles and laughter, his heart aching for the child. She would grow up without her father... just like Silo had grown up without his mother. Spinning in circles, he lifted Tooku from his shoulders and held her high in the air, watching her smile and laugh.

"Uncle Naru! Do it again!"

"Uncle? I'm not your uncle," the blond smiled and walked around the room quickly, letting the girl feel as if she were flying.

"But I want Naru to be my uncle," she let herself be out on the ground and she smiled brightly. "Papa told me that Naru doesn't have a brother or sister and I don't want Naru to be lonely!"

Naruto bent down and put his hand on Tooku's head, ruffling her hair affectionately.

"You're a sweet girl, you know that? Fine, I'll be your uncle... Just promise me you'll always smile, no matter what... ok?" he thought back on Silo's childhood and smiled slightly.

Tooku blinked, but nodded her head vigorously.

"Promise!"

"Now... why don't you go into my and Sasuke's room and get some paper out of the desk drawer in there? I'll come and draw pictures with you in a minute. I'm just going to get the pens," Naruto said.

The child jumped up and down in excitement, nodding before running in the direction of the room he and Sasuke had stayed in. Once she turned the corner, Naruto went back outside just in time to see them lower the casket in the hole, Matsuri pretty much numb now. She sat on the ground with her tears drying on her face and her eyes glazed over as if her mind was gone.

Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke and kissed the nape of his neck.

"Are you doing okay?"

"I've been better... It's just that Tobi had always been around since I was a senior in high school. He'd come over to our house to study with Itachi... and sometimes stay for dinner when my mom asked him to. He would even bring me bento boxes at school when I didn't have money for lunch..." the raven smiled at the memories, wishing that the loud man was still with them, cheering people up like he always did. "He was a good friend."

Naruto smiled, then pulled himself away so he could speak with Matsuri, crouching down so he was face level with her. He wiped her drying tears away with the back of his long sleeve, causing her to turn his way with pain-filled eyes.

"Seven years of marriage... and he's gone," she bit her bottom lip. "I-I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him...! I can't imagine a morning where I wake up and he's not beside me," she started crying again, the blond's lively eyes reminding her too much of Tobi's. "I don't want to live without him... but I have Tooku and my new baby," she rubbed her bulging stomach in smooth circles. "If it weren't for them... I would do something awful and unspeakable," she whispered.

"Suicide never solves anything," Naruto scolded her lightly. "I tried when I was younger, after my dad died. Imagine, a ten-year-old attempting to jump off of the room of a five story building," his smile was warm. "But I pulled myself through. It will get better, I promise. Just give it some time."

Silo, who was standing with Haruka away from the crowd, rested his head against his boyfriend's chest. He didn't know what he would do if he lost Haruka... hell, he didn't know what he would do if he lost anyone important in his life. He held the silver-haired man's large hand in his own and prayed that Majik would be safe wherever he was at the moment.

Haruka ran his hand along the back of Silo's smooth neck, able to make out the blury shape of his lover. He couldn't wait for all of this to be over, so he could get his surgery and finally look into the face of the boy he loved for the first time. As soon as he could see again, he wanted Silo's face to be the first thing he saw.

The crow shut his eyes tightly when he felt Melee slipping out. She hadn't shown herself for quite a while because of all that'd been going on, but now that there was all this stress building within him, she grasped and pulled on his own consciousness in order to replace it with her own. He pursed his lips together and breathed in deeply, shoving her thoughts away.

"We packed your medication," Haruka stated, knowing exactly what was happening.

Silo smiled a bit.

"You don't mind coming with me to get it, do you? I left my bag in the front hallway..."

"I don't mind at all. Lead the way," Haruka held Silo's hand and let himself be led into the building, a certain smell in the air. It was a scent that he recognized, but couldn't place; a strong and metallic aroma. After going up exactly five stairs, he saw the blury outline of a single man standing in the hall, arm outstretched. He bumped into the back of his boyfriend and stumbled back, surprised.

"Who is it?"

"Well, if it isn't my grandson," a raspy voice cooed, leading into a disturbing chuckle. It was a voice he'd never heard, and he was definitely confused by the grandfather comment. He'd never heard of Silo's grandparents. "This boy must be your lover, I presume."

"..." Silo was frozen in his tracks, his heart thudding against his chest almost painfully. "O-O-Orochimaru..."

The snake had his gun held out, the barrel pointed at the dark-haired teen's forehead. His smile was wide and malicious, his skin ghostly white. None of his men were with him... but there were bodies lying on the floor in the hallway. It was the four men Itachi had ordered to stand guard; four of his best men, save for the higher-ups in the organization.

"If you yell for help, I'll shoot your lover in the heart," Orochimaru cackled. "So I suggest you step away from him and come with me. Ahhh, I have so many plans for you, Silo-**kun,**" he crooned, licking his pale lips. "Not to mention your mother is just dying to see you again after all these heart-wrenching years."

Silo's crystal blue eyes widened.

"My mom..."

Haruka fought with himself over whether or not he should attack the man... the very enemy that everyone was after was standing before him, trying to take his boyfriend away from him. What exactly was going on? He took a slow step forward, only to have the barrel pointed toward him. He snarled at the snake. He might not be able to see that well, but he could hold himself in a fight.

"Make your decision, boy," Orochimaru growled. "You either come with me or I'll kill your precious lover... and maybe even your charming father, as well," he smirked darkly. "I have no problem with spilling blood."

Silo choked back a despaired cry, gripping onto Haruka's hand with all of his strength. He didn't want the boy to get hurt... nor did he want his dad to get hurt... so as soon as he squeezed Haruka's hand, he let go a moment later, quickly rushing to stand behind Orochimaru. He looked at the Hatake with watery eyes, his heart ripping in two.

"I-I'm so sorry, Haruka-kun... Please forgive me...!"

Haruka stood stalk still, his eyes wide even though he couldn't see. Had Silo... really just abandoned him? He wasn't upset that Silo chose to go with him, he was just infuriated that Orochimaru would use him as a tool to get his boyfriend!

"Stay there and I promise not to hurt this beautiful child," Orochimaru chuckled and pet his grandson's smooth hair, causing the thin boy to flinch away.

Haruka narrowed his eyes dangerously. The snake wanted Silo too much to harm him, he knew that much. Suddenly, the sound of small feet came from one of the various halls and a cheery voice rang out in the main room.

"Uncle Naru! Where are you? I wanna draw with--" she stopped her words when she came to a halt in front of the three men. She held a stack of white computer paper in her arms, her eyes holding shock and confusion. "Who are you...?" she asked Orochimaru.

Silo let tears slip from his eyes, feeling as if his sanity was slowly slipping away. He couldn't let Tooku get hurt, not her, not Tobi's little girl. She was all Matsuri had left... Then, before he knew it, Orochimaru aimed the gun at the child and whatever little sanity he had left crumbled apart. He reached forward and grabbed his grandfather's neck, digging his nails into his throat as he gritted his teeth and yelled loud enough for the whole world to hear.

"Tooku, run!.!" he used all of his strength to slam the snake's face into the concrete wall, his whole body shaking.

Haruka didn't know what happened next because all he could feel was something slam into the back of his head and he blacked out, falling to the floor in a heap. Before he completely passed out, though, he heard Tooku's retreating footsteps, then Silo's terrified cry as a gunshot went off.

There was the sound of papers scattering all over the cement floor, followed by shuffling sounds.

"She was just a child!.!"

Another gunshot rang out in the room...

Then Haruka passed out.

--

Majik found himself on the ground with a pistol pointed at his head by none other than Kabuto. The four-eyed man smiled maliciously, his arm bleeding profusely because of the Norwegian's attempt to cut off his arm with a huge, crazy grin on his face. He never thought he'd be taken down by Orochimaru'a right-hand man so soon...

Gritting his teeth, he let a member of the Oto group that was with Kabuto lift him up by his arms and shove him against a wall, his wrists being bound together. Next, he was blindfolded and gagged, his body being yanked away from the wall to be shoved forcefully forward.

"Never had I imagined I would catch something so valuable. Hidan-san's charming baby brother... Mikkel Aononson," his Japanese accent was strong, but Majik knew the name either way, his shoulders becoming stiff.

"How do ya... know my birth name?"

"I've looked up many things on every single person associated with Itachi-san," Kabuto answered, pleased when the man leading Majik down the dirt road shoved him down on his knees in front of a recently dug up hole. There were three other men on either side of Majik, all silent as the grave, blindfolds over their eyes, as well. "But I don't believe there's time to chat. It's time for the execution."

Majik growled, but didn't bother to move. He knew there were probably guns pointed at him, so he would end up shot if he made a run for it. Stomaching the fact that this was probably his final moment alive...he lowered his head and wondered what they were going to do. Orochimaru's men were anything but civilized, so he expected the worst.

"It's a shame you won't get to say farewell to your dear Silo-kun. Orochimaru-sama went to fetch him earlier, you know," the grey-haired man commented, his boots kicking up pebbles on the street. "That was the whole plan all along, to distract the strongest of the Akatsuki and lure them here, while he went to capture our young damsel. I know for a fact that you want nothing more than to have him for your own, isn't that right? Maybe if you decide to side with us, we'll let you spend all the time you want with him in our headquarters."

Anger swelled up deep inside of Majik, his teeth gritting and his fists clenching. He could picture gorgeous Silo lying in a room all alone, broken and ruined from that bastard of a snake. It was true that he wanted Silo for himself, but **god** did he just want him to be happy with Haruka...

_I won't get to tell Haru-ru I'm sorry; that I don't hate 'im... And I'll never get to see either one of 'em again. I won't get to see Nii-san and Mr. Weasal, either... I feel like I made a mistake somewhere down the line... What could I've done to alter my fate...?_

Kabuto raised his arm in the air.

"Forgive me. I only do this for Orochimaru-sama's ambition," he said sincerely, quickly lowering his arm.

Guns were fired and Majik felt three bullets enter him from behind, his lips moving slowly and his body falling forward.

"Nii...san..."

He hit the dirt of the hole and rolled down the side until his body came to a stop at the bottom. Bodies were already beneath him, dead and rotting. Flies buzzed around him and his eyes slowly closed underneath the black blindfold, not even opening when dirt began to pour over him. They were burrying him alive...

"Rest well," Kabuto said, walking away.

As dirt began to cover his face, Majik found himself imagining Silo and Haruka with him, all of them little again and experiencing the world with a positive outlook. He could see Silo's dazzling smile and hear Haruka's stern voice telling him not to run or else he'd trip...

_I wanna go back to that..._

_I don't... I don't wanna die yet..._

_Little Miss..._

He pictured the crow's handsome face in his mind, wishing he could see that smile one last time.

_L-Little Miss... I lied... _he heard himself chuckle in amusement in his mind. _I love you... so I guess... maybe I'm not as straight as I thought I was... _

He laughed to himself one final time before everything became eerily silent and he could no longer inhale air.

**Depressing, I know. We are getting closer to the end of Just Like Heroin, so leave your reviews in support of this story and hope for the best!**


	52. The Bird Flies in the Sky

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**I know, it's been a while. I've been pulling myself out of a really tough time in my life and needed some time to myself, so I apologize if any of you are pissed at me. I didn't go on hiatus on purpose, guys.**

**One more chapter after this, then the epilogue! Please review!**

_You don't have to deal with this._

_You can give up and let me consume you..._

_Let me consume you..._

Silo's sky blue eyes snapped open in the darkness that swallowed him whole. Sweat slid down his face and he breathed in deeply to stop his racing heart. He could feel Melee clawing at the back of his mind and even with the situation he was in, he was proud that he could hold her back.

Staring straight ahead, all he could see was the contours of the coffin's lid since his eyes had adjusted to the darkness in the few hours he'd been locked away. His body was overheating and he felt as if he was going to pass out, but he knew he'd brought it upon himself.

He'd been dragged into one of Orochimaru's hideouts after Tooku had been shot and Haruka had been knocked out by a watchful Oto member... and the snake had asked him for one single thing in that amount of time; to help him take down the Akatsuki in exchange for his family's life...

Knowing already that Orochimaru wasn't going to keep his promise, Silo had refused and attempted to escape, only to end up shoved in a blood-smeared coffin that was already occupied by the bones of someone they'd put in it before...

_I'm not going to help him, even if it means I have to be killed..._

Even as he thought that, he knew his grandfather wouldn't kill him... He was too valuable... too good of bait... his own grandson...

The fear he felt in his chest dulled down to an ache as he tried to focus on something else. An image of Haruka came to mind and he smiled softly to himself. He'd only been knocked out, so he knew his boyfriend was alive and probably being treated...

But then the image of Tooku's wide honey-colored eyes entered his thoughts and his breath hitched. The child had been shot... He didn't know where, but he remembered watching the little girl fall back against the wall as her papers scattered all over the cement floor...

First Tobi, then Tooku... Matsuri would be completely and utterly heartbroken...

"Please let everyone be alright..." he whispered to himself before footsteps echoed around him and voices reached his ringing ears. He recognized one as Orochimaru and the other...

His eyes widened.

The other was Kabuto, the man that had shot Sasuke right in front of his very eyes when he was a child... Memories flashed before his eyes, his pupils becoming smaller as the coffin lid was yanked off with enough force to rip the nails out of the wood. He flinched at the sudden rush of light, but looked up to see a heavy man with orange hair sneering at him.

"I hope it was comfortable in there," Kabuto smiled fakely, mockingly, from his perch atop a crate.

"No need to be rude, Kabuto," Orochimaru purred, his hand running down the silver-haired man's arm. His golden eyes gleamed with what Silo assumed was lust, his slightly longer canines glistening as he smiled in a manner that frightened the teenager. "Tell me, boy, have you changed your mind? If not, I have various different ways to make you agree," he smirked.

Silo sat up, glaring up at his grandfather.

"I refuse to help you. I don't care what you do to me," he growled.

"What a shame," Kabuto spoke, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "You know, every time you decide to go against Orochimaru-sama's wishes, something of yours is taken away. Do you know what we took the first time you refused?"

The crow stared at him with wide eyes, his heart rate picking up speed.

Kabuto leaned in, a feral smile creeping onto his chapped lips.

"Your friend, Majik," he lied. He wanted to see what reaction he got out of the boy if he thought he was the reason Hidan's younger brother had been murdered. "You should have seen it..." his voice became deep and alluring. "I tied him up, put him in front of a ditch, and told him it was all your fault before I..."

Silo shook, tears springing to his eyes. Wrapping his arms around himself, he imagined Majik smiling beside him, laughing and telling him stories...

"... shot him..." Kabuto whispered, grabbing onto the collar of Silo's shirt. "I shot him three times and watched him fall into that hole in the ground before I buried him alive..."

Orochimaru held his arm out as a signal for his henchman to be quiet.

"You're scaring the poor boy, Kabuto-**kun**," he crooned, looking down at the shaking boy. His feral smile spread from ear to ear as he reached down to grip onto Silo's upper arm. "Now, let's play with him for a while... Maybe then he'll decide to help us take down Itachi's group."

Silo slowly lifted his head, his body shaking as his grandfather leaned forward, the man's golden eyes wide in excitement. He could see his own look of fear reflected off of the snake's bright irises, his heart speeding up. He didn't...

He didn't know what to do now.

xXxXxXx

"She'll be alright. It's just a flesh wound," an Akatsuki member told the sobbing Matsuri. The woman was being held by Naruto, her mascara running down her cheeks and her lipstick smeared on her hands that were covering the lower half of her face.

Tooku was lying on the cold concrete floor, the few Akatsuki medics that were on base treating her. Crimson blood was soaking into her clothes near her side, where the bullet had entered. Luckily, the snake bastard hadn't damaged any organs or bones, so Tooku would be fine after being treated.

"Naruto..."

The blond turned, releasing Matsuri once he was sure she wouldn't do anything irrational. His blue eyes reflected the same sadness and anger his lover had in his, his pink lips turning up into a strained smile. He tried to remain focused as he opened his mouth to speak to Sasuke, his heart breaking apart in his chest.

"What is it?"

Sasuke clenched his fists and tried his hardest not to punch the wall he was leaning against. He couldn't control the rage he felt deep inside, not after what had happened to Silo.

"Our son was taken away by that... that fucking snake...!"Sasuke growled. "Why are we just standing here when we could be searching for him?.! Huh?.! He could be dead for all we know! Orochimaru could have fucking **killed** him!"

Naruto flinched, but kept his smile in place.

"Orochimaru wouldn't kill him... h-he needs him, Teme..." his voice was soft, almost on the verge of breaking from strain and sadness. His nickname for Sasuke made the angered man's furious expression slip off of his face, being replaced by an apologetic one. "Silo's not dead... He's f-fine..."

Sasuke grabbed his boyfriend's wrist and dragged him out where they had buried Tobi, telling everyone that they needed fresh air. He inhaled deeply, knowing that maybe... the two of them wouldn't see them again. He had a plan and he was going to see it through until the end, even if it meant he would die.

"Sasuke, what--"

"We're going after Orochimaru. We're going to the war grounds where everyone's at and we're going to find that bastard before my brother does. We're going to get Silo back and kill Orochimaru ourselves," the raven explained seriously. "We'll be taking one of the Akatsuki's cars..."

Naruto stared into the man's eyes, seeing how determined he was. He swallowed thickly and nodded, surprised in himself. He didn't want to do anything stupid and reckless, but he would honestly do anything to get his son back.

"Are there weapons in the car...?" he asked timidly.

"My brother told me once how each vehicle has about ten guns and other weapons inside of the trunk, so we can use those... And I have these already," Sasuke reached into his back pocket and pulled out a set of silver car keys. He looked guilty, but he put on a smirk. "I took them from Itachi's office on a whim today..."

"You must've felt something was going to happen," Naruto laughed nervously, trying to make light of the situation. They were going to go after their son and bring him back no matter what... so he focused on that and let his sadness and fear disappear. If his lover could hide his fear, he would too.

They both looked back into the lit room where Tooku was being treated and Haruka was being watched over, and slowly stepped out of everyones' line of vision so they could rush to the car. They didn't care if they ran past security cameras; they were going to run as fast as they could and get into the vehicle, then speed off to wherever they needed to be.

"I think they keep them in a garage underneath this hill..." Sasuke stated, leading Naruto up a tall hill that dropped off. The setting sun blinded him for a moment, but then he peered around, spotting a metal set of stairs that led down to the bottom of the hill where a gravel road was. "Come on, over there."

"That doesn't look safe..." Naruto looked at the rust that was all along the silver bars.

Sasuke held out his hand and smiled slightly.

"I'll make sure you'll be fine. Trust me."

"Alright..." Naruto took his hand and let him pull him down the creaking stairs, a smile finding its own place on his face. The warm look Sasuke had given him was enough to push away the fear he felt for his son's life. He knew that with the raven by his side, they would be able to accomplish their goal, as cheesy as it sounded.

They were going to get their son back.

xXxXxXx

Haruka sat against the cold wall, watching Tooku being lifted up and put on a stretcher that was pushed to another room. The sound of a heart monitor slowly disappeared in the distance, sadly taking the boy's concentration with it. He'd been trying so hard to just focus on the sounds around him, so that he wouldn't think about his boyfriend being taken away.

He gritted his teeth and glared at the floor, his head throbbing in pain from when one of Orochimaru's henchmen had slammed the butt of their gun into his skull. Everything around him was completely unfocused and blury because of his eyes, and he wished that he could see so that he could maybe find Silo...

He felt worthless.

He felt weak.

He felt like breaking down into tears because the boy he loved could possibly be dead.

xXxXxXx

Silo propped himself up on his elbows, breathing heavily. He had no idea where he was, but his attempt to escape wasn't going very well. There were hundreds upon hundreds of cargo crates stacked on top of and around each other, and they all created a dark and filthy maze inside of the huge storage building he was trying to find his way out of.

He'd been chased by Kabuto through a hall that led to that place and he didn't know what to call what they were doing... It could be called stalking, it could be called hunting, it could just be called playing. Orochimaru had sent him into the maze so that his men could hunt him down, terrorize him, and play with him like a cat played with its meal.

His heart beating frantically in his chest, he got up and wiped the sweat and blood from his face and neck, scared to death of being caught. He didn't know what would happen if he were found, but he tried to be as quiet as a mouse. Stepping backward slowly, he crammed himself into a corner and shook in fear.

_I-I don't want to die..._

Suddenly, there was laughter and a large hand reached down from the crate above to grip onto the collar of the teen's shirt. He was hoisted into the air, kicking and flailing to get free, crying out for someone to help him.

"Now, now, boy," the bulky man spoke, his grin pearly white. "There's no need to run from me. I just want to **play**."

He was African American, Silo noted; tall with an earring in his left ear and his head shaved. He continued grinning at the squirming boy, standing up so that he outstretch his arm and watch Silo finally go limp, his chest heaving.

"P-Please let me go..." Silo begged, tears mixing with the dirt and blood on his face.

"We're going to have some fun, first," the Oto member smirked, reaching down to undo his belt.

The crow's damp eyes became wide when he realized what was going to happen.

"N-n-no!"

xXxXxXx

_Sunlight..._

_I see... sunlight..._

_How...? Aren't I supposed to be dead?_

_Maybe I'm goin' to Heaven... But..._

_Someone like me doesn't belong in a place like that..._

_That must mean I'm alive..._

_Little Miss..._

Violet eyes slowly opened, a flicker of sunlight dancing across the part of the irises it could reach through the scattered rubble of the shallow grave. There were bodies half-way into the pit, the other half jutting out in awkward positions. One dead Akatsuki member was lying right above Majik's body, his half blown off face out in the air where the sun could bake the already rotting flesh.

How long had he been in that pit? Why wasn't he dead yet? He'd been shot multiple times... He was sure he would've lost enough blood at that point to die, right?

He slowly wiggled his head around and dirt shifted away from his face, more sunshine hitting his skin and warming his clammy face. The fresh air filled his lungs and in that moment, he was so very thankful to be alive.

His ragged breathing slowed down and he tried his hardest to quiet himself when he heard footsteps, followed by two Oto members talking. He gritted his teeth as he heard them speaking of their leader, he fists clenching in the loose grave.

"It's in the old freight yard," one man whispered to his companion. "I wouldn't go back there if I were you, though. I heard Orochimaru-sama has a pet he's playing with and he'll kill anyone who disturbs him."

Majik's eyes narrowed and he could feel his heart speed up, the wounds in his back throbbing in agony at the sudden adrenaline rush.

The other man nodded.

Slowly pushing the rubble and dirt off of where his arms were, Majik carefully moved the carcass of a fellow member off of him, using his fingers to dig away at the soil that kept him in his supposed 'tomb.' He gradually hoisted himself up, ignoring the searing pain in his back, and looked around, dirt and caked onto him from the waist up. He left his legs in the earth, reaching over to grab the gun that was lying on the ground.

Taking aim, the Norwegian growled deep in his throat and shot one man in the temple before shooting the other in the throat. Both of them fell to the ground, the one that was still alive squirming around, his hands on his bleeding neck. He tried to scream for help, but it only came out as a high-pitched gurgling sound.

Lowering his arm, Majik realized that the only reason he was still alive was because lying on his back had put enough pressure on his wounds to stop the bleeding. Now that he was out in the open, sitting up, the blood starting to soak through his clothes again and he began to feel light-headed.

"Little Miss... Silo..."

He knew where the boy was... He just wished **he** could be the one to rescue him. But he had to leave that job to the higher ranked. Swallowing, he cleared his throat and parted his lips, hoping that Itachi and Hidan would hear him.

Using every ounce of strength and energy in his body, he tilted his head back and screamed until his throat hurt.

"Orochimaru is in the old freightyard by the bridge!.!.!" he shouted repeatedly, over and over and over again so that at least someone from the Akatsuki would hear him. He could hear shouts of 'Majik' or 'head in that direction' from different corners of the area, his hope of being saved and seeing the people important to him growing higher.

"You little shit," was the sneer that came from behind him.

The boy was hoisted into the air by the back of his neck, the barrel of a gun shoved into his mouth. He gagged on it and struggled to get free, but the grip of the unknown man was too firm, nails digging into his dirty skin.

Closing his eyes tightly, he let out another desperate yell, hoping his comrades would hear him. But the barrel was only shoved further down his throat.

A gunshot rang through the air and Majik's eyes snapped open when he was released, his body falling forward into the grave. He pushed himself up onto his elbows, breathing heavily from the loss of blood and lack of energy. Looking up slowly, his eyes met pitch black ones from about forty feet away.

His heart caught in his throat, Majik smiled brightly like he used to, his voice cracking as he called out to his leader. The joy of living and seeing someone he loved standing there, having just saved his life, ripped away any informality he would normally use.

"Itachi-sama!"

"Majik, are you okay?" the leader asked, rushing to the teen's side. He inspected the wounds and scowled, loathing in his charcoal eyes. He lifted his head and scanned the area quickly, putting his gun away and opting to lift the smaller boy into his arms. The blood soaking into his cloak was of little importance to him.

"D-did ya hear my shoutin'...?" Majik asked, leaning his head against the man's shoulder. His heart rate slowed down, as well as his breathing, and he found himself exhausted. Was this was happened before you died...?

"I sent Hidan, Kakuzu, and Deidara to the freight yard with back-up. Once I get you back to our hide-out to be treated, I'll head over there myself."

Itachi kept his blank expression, but there was a hint of a thankful smile on his face. The greenhorn member smiled faintly at that and kept his eyes on the area ahead of them, watching out for anymore danger.

"Most of the Oto members heard you and rushed back to base in order to protect Orochimaru, so you don't have to worry about anymore danger," Itachi spoke softly. "And make sure you stay awake. Falling asleep could result in your death."

"I know, I know," the boy grinned tiredly.

Itachi snorted and wondered how the child could be so smug after he'd almost been killed, but he was just happy he was able to get there in time to rescue him. He smiled inwardly at having his 'son' in his arms like when he was a small kid again.

"Now, you will rest inside of our hideout while I go the Oto base. Do you understand? My top priority is to get Silo back safely, so don't worry about a thing."

Majik nodded slowly.

Silo was going to be okay. He was going to be brought back home and they would all go back to how they lived before...

That was what he hoped, anyway.

xXxXxXx

Five sets of eyes watched a bomb go off in the distance, the reflection of the flames dancing within large pupils. The sound of a machine gun pelting bullets into cement followed closely behind, frightening the gawking children and sending them running back into the woods where they'd come from.

They'd ignored their parents' wishes to stay in the backyard of their house and had wandered off into the woods close by to look for locusts to catch. But they'd gotten lost and had ended up on the outskirts of the abandoned city where Oto and Akatsuki were fighting...

"We have to tell Okasan!" the little girl squeaked, her eyes full of tears. The machine gun had been too loud and scary for her. Since she was too young to know what it was, she'd thought it was a monster.

Her older brother shook his head as he held her hand, leading her under low-hanging branches. "No, we have to tell the police!"

Going as fast as they could, the children continued to run away, leaving the broken city behind.

**PLEASE REVIEW! **


	53. The End Is Close But So Is the Beginning

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**It's been foreeeeeever, but I finally finished the last chapter of JLH! -throws confetti in the air- Yoooooosh! I hope that this ending is satisfying enough for all of my adoring fans. Of course, there will be an epliogue, so hang on tight for one more ride through one of my most beloved stories.**

**I thank all of you who have stayed with this story for so long and still whole-heartedly support it. All of you are the reason I still have the inspiration to write, even when life finds ways to crush me. Thank you all so much.**

**What helped me write this was listening to 'Hide and Seek' by Imogen Heap.**

Gunshots.

Crystal blue eyes shot open at the sound of gunshots outside of the empty room he was in. Silo had been locked in silence for some time after he'd been... violated. He'd given up hope of ever being saved and had pretty much accepted the fact that he would probably end up being killed. But the gunshots and shouting inside of the building refueled his hope.

"H-help..." he whimpered, sitting up. "HELP!"

Moving from his lying position on the floor, he stood slowly and adjusted his pants that had been yanked down to his knees... Blood was smeared on his thighs, his shirt, his face, his hands... but the pain wasn't strong enough to keep him from trying to get to safety.

"Help!" he yelled again, running over to the door and banging on it. He was sure he was going to get bruises later, but he'd rather have those than be dead. "I'm in here!"

More gunshots went off and he slammed his fists against the metal harder, yelling at the top of his lungs so someone from the Akatsuki could hear him.

"Someone! Anyone! Get me out of here!.!"

----------

Kakuzu enjoyed the thrill of the hunt. He especially loved it when his prey would attempt to fight back, even knowing that they didn't stand a chance. Luckily for him, his prey today was trying especially hard to fight against him.

With a smirk hidden beneath his white face mask, he used both of his guns to shoot down two more Oto members. He had to admit, the creatons had gotten a good bit stronger than the last time he'd faced them, but they were still nothing compared to him. Well, that was his opinion on it, anyway.

"Where's your leader?" he asked one woman that he lifted off the floor by the neck. She was bleeding from a severe wound to her stomach, blood dripping from her mouth. There was no way for her to speak, blood choking her. He sneered. "You're lucky you're a woman. I'll go easy on you."

Throwing his enemy to the ground, he ran down the lengthy hallway and made sure to slaughter any Oto member that got in his way. The only blood on him was the blood of those he murdered and he laughed loudly as adrenaline pumped through his veins.

He was usually a reserved man, but when it came to man-slaughter, there was no way he could contain his excitement.

"Look who it is," a voice came from the shadows behind Kakuzu. "I haven't really had a chat with you in a long time, Kakuzu."

Turning, Kakuzu saw Kabuto emerge from the shadows. His excitement turned to pure anger and he snapped his arm upward, shooting at the man's forehead, but missing when his target quickly shifted to the left, running down the opposite hall. His laughter echoed throughout the building.

Kakuzu ran after his prey, remembering that Kabuto had been the one to kill one of his closest allies; Tobi. Even a man like him couldn't take the tears that the deceased's wife shed the night she learned of his death. No one deserved a long life more than Tobi had.

"You fuckin' prick, I'll make you suffer for what you did to Tobi!" he stopped in front of a door that was open, running footsteps coming from inside. He gritted his teeth and went inside, everything pitch black and a strong scent reaching his nose. With a disadvantge like this, he thought that he might actually get injured. "Kaaabutooo," he smirked, calling out to the other man in the darkness. "Come out, come out wherever you are. I promise I won't smash your skull open if you give yourself up."

There was the faint sound of metal scraping against the concrete floor to the right of him and he swiftly dodged a bullet. Lifting his gun up, he pressed a small square on the side and a bright blue light flashed through the whole room, illuminating the surroundings long enough for him to see the outline of Kabuto in the far left corner.

He took aim and fired, hearing a loud grunt nearby followed by metal hitting the floor. He knew he'd gotten his prey and a delighted grin spread across his scarred face. He couldn't wait to tell everyone how** he'd** been the one to dispose of Tobi's murderer. Chuckling, he switched guns.

"You know... you took me into this room even when you knew that you'd be at a disadvantage, too," he let his eyes adjust to the darkness. "No Oto member is stupid enough to draw themselves into a trap. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and just say that Oto is losing and you're resorting to Kamikaze tactics. How old-fashioned."

A sudden loud crash behind him startled him and he turned, only to feel something sharp sink into the skin just below his collarbone. He winced, but reached forward fast enough to grip onto Kabuto's wrist.

"When I saw you in the hallway, you only had that single gun with you... and when I fired at you before, I heard your gun hit the ground," Kakuzu grinned in an almost feral manner. "This knife was the only weapon you had left, wasn't it?"

Kabuto's breathing was heavy.

Kakuzu laughed, pulling the man against him and pressing his face into his chest so he could smear the blood into his eyes. Kabuto squirmed against him, obviously already exhausted from the hours of bloodshed beforehand. He was usually never so weak and willing to get into situations where he could be so close to death...

Kabuto struggled and was finally able to get free when he managed to sink his teeth into the man's flesh. There was a strong taste of iron in his mouth as he leaped back, able to see the outline of the Akatsuki member in the shadows. Now was the time to end it. He was given one final task from Orochimaru and he was going to fulfill it, no matter what.

"The only task left for me is to keep you from killing Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto inhaled deeply, pulling something from his pocket. He brushed it against his belt and small flames errupted, creating a single light in the pitch black room.

It was at that moment that Kakuzu realized what the smell in the room was.

Gasoline.

"It might only be you, but that's better than no one. This is my final stand," Kabuto threw the match onto the ground and everything lit up in flames, the fire consuming anything and everything it could reach. He laughed bitterly.

Kakuzu ran to the other side of the room, trying to find some way out of the burning room. If he was able to escape, he knew one thing he would need to tell Itachi.

Oto was losing.

---------

The smell of smoke frightened Silo. For all he knew, the building could be on fire and he'd end up trapped inside to burn alive. That wasn't the way he wanted to die, if any way at all. Smashing his fists continuously against the door, he continued to yell for help.

The sound of the door unlocking made his heart speed up. He was going to be saved, he was going to see everyone again, he was going to be with his parents--

He was yanked forward by his shirt, his wrists being pulled behind his back. He yelled out in pain as he was shoved down the smoke-filled hallway by force. He couldn't see a thing, but he knew who was handling him by the voice above him.

"I refuse to lose...!" Orochimaru seethed. "I won't let the Akatsuki have the pleasure of capturing me. Or **you**."

Silo gasped in pain when fingers gripped onto his hair and yanked his head upward. He shut his eyes and gritted his teeth when the snake spoke angrily into his ear.

"I plan on committing suicide, but not alone. You'll die along with me, boy."

The crow's eyes shot open.

"N-no..."

----------

Naruto and Sasuke stepped over fallen branches and jutting roots as they walked through the woods. They could hear the fighting going on in the distance, not too far away from them. Just a little bit more and they would be able to see everything that was going on.

Just a little bit more and they would be able to search for Silo.

"We'll need to stay as close together as possible. No running off alone, no matter what happens. Do you understand?" Sasuke whispered, sweat running down the side of his face from the hot weather. He knew they were getting closer to the battleground because he heard men and women yelling to each other. How long had it taken them to finally get there from where they'd parked the car outside of the woods? Thirty minutes?

"I'm not stupid," Naruto chuckled, trying to keep himself optimistic and brave in their situation. They could possibly die... but he wasn't going to let that thought get to him. Hopefully, if he were to die, he'd die from a shot to the head and he'd be dead before he knew it...

"Only use your gun if you absolutely need to," Sasuke added, stopping his steps when they both reached the outskirts of the city. No one was around, everything silent save for the bombs and gunshots going off in the distance. There had been people around only a moment ago... where had they gone? "Follow me."

"Wait, Sasuke," Naruto gripped onto his lover's shirt. "You act as if you know what you're doing."

"I know... I can't explain it... maybe stuff like this runs in an Uchiha's veins."

The blond smiled. "I would hope not. But it is very useful right now."

Sasuke laughed lightly, but then turned to look back out at the ruined city. It was amazing how a city could be hidden so far away from any other area of civilization. Even the loudest bombs couldn't be heard anywhere else. Reaching back to grab Naruto's wrist, he pulled him into the wrecked city and ran as fast as he could to a ruined building a few yards away.

"There's a lot of people over there," Naruto stated, squinting while he looked in the distance. "And I smell smoke... Do you smell that?"

"I do... That buildings on fire over there--and I think I see Kisame," Sasuke was surprised to see the main Akatsuki members so quickly, but more grateful than not. That meant there was a higher chance of the both of them surviving. Remembering morse code, even years after Itachi had taught him out of boredom, Sasuke grabbed a stone and started smacking it against the cement wall of the fallen wall behind him.

Kisame, who was waiting outside of the burning building for any signs of Itachi or Hidan to emerge, looked to the side when he heard the code being made.

'Where is my brother?'

Kisame scowled, but replied by pulling out his gun and tapping his short nails against the metal.

'Inside the building looking for Kakuzu. What the fuck are you doing here?'

'Naruto and I are looking for Silo.'

'That's our job, Sasuke. We have members looking out for him now. Go back to base, **now**.'

'No. If Aniki comes out, tell him we went after Orochimaru ourselves. I know better than to think you'll leave your post without your leader's permission, so you won't chase us.'

Then the clicking stopped and Kisame watched a flash of yellow and black go behind fallen pillars in the opposite direction. He wanted to let out a frustrated yell, but resorted to just pulling out his cell phone, clicking a small button on the side before speaking.

"Leader, your idiot of a little brother brought his boyfriend to the wargrounds. He told me to inform you that he's going to find Orochimaru on his own. I would've followed him, but I didn't have your permission. I need my next move."

There was no reply and Kisame became worried. Itachi wasn't just his leader, he was one of his best friends. They'd been through so much together and if he'd been engulfed by the flames in that building...

There was the loud sound of something dragging across the floor inside of the burning building, then Hidan came out with Kakuzu. He was in decent condition, but Kakuzu was sputtering, coughing, and burnt everywhere. His cloak was hanging in charred threads over him, his mask burned off of his face to reveal the permanent stitches all over it.

"Where's Leader?" Kisame asked, worried.

"He coming--"

Hidan was pushed to the side when Itachi emerged from the wreckage, almost stumbling over. He watched his lover ignore the severe pain in his leg and run as fast as he could away from them. He wanted to chase after him, but... even though they were married, Itachi was only his leader in this situation and his word was final.

He was to stay there with Kisame and Kakuzu until told otherwise...

"Please be careful..." he whispered to himself.

-----------

Silo continued to struggle as his grandfather pulled him through rubble and over dead bodies, the both of them heading to some unknown destination. Fear was ripping away at his mind and he felt as if he would break down into hysterics any moment. He didn't want to die, he didn't want to die, he didn't want to...! He was too young, he had so much of his life left to live!

"P-Please let me go!"

"I refuse to die without dealing one last blow to the Akatsuki. Your death will tear your parents apart, and it will be another failed mission for Itachi-san," Orochimaru growled, yanking Silo into a cleared area that overlooked the beaten city. Once they were in a spot that suited him, the snake threw the teenager on the ground and kicked him roughly, making sure to break a few ribs so he would be in too much pain to run.

"Stop...!" Silo wailed, tears slipping from his eyes. He just wanted to curl up and hide away from everything that was happening. What did he do wrong to deserve all of this? "Please stop!" he coughed, cringing at the searing pain ripping through him.

Orochimaru looked around, eyes coming to life when he saw an abandoned flamethrower laying on the ground a few yards away. He rushed over to it, lifted it in the air and laughed darkly, excited about the way he would end his and his grandson's life.

Silo stared at the weapon and tried to cry out for help, but it hurt too much to even speak, his ribs aching. He dug his nails into the ground, as if gripping onto what little bit of hope he had left in him. He was so close to death now.... so close...

The snake aimed the flamethrower at the ground around him and lit it on fire, everything going up in flames. The earth turned black underneath the tall wall of fire and the bright orange and red colors danced in Silo's bright eyes, scaring him.

"No one will come in here to save you," Orochimaru chuckled, walking over to the crow. He lit the rest of the area, the wall of flames only feet from them. It was only going to be a matter of minutes before they would both burn alive.

"Dad! **Daaaaad**!" Silo openly wept, his tears mixing with the dirt and grime on his face. He hoped it was all a bad dream; he would wake up and he would be in his bedroom back in Frederick, where everything was okay. "Someone help me! Anyone! Don't let me die!"

"Silo! Silo, I'm here!" a familiar voice shot through the flames.

Orochimaru's head snapped in the direction of where they'd come from. Whose voice was that?

"We're both here! We're here for you!" Sasuke's voice broke through and the Oto leader couldn't help but smirk in amusement. The both of them would get to hear their son's screams of agony as he burned alive; how delightful.

Silo cried harder.

"Ch-Chichiue--Oto-san!"

"My grandson is going to burn in Hell with me!" Orochimaru yelled, laughing loudly while grabbing Silo's hair tightly, yanking him closer to himself.

The blue-eyed boy found it extremely difficult to breathe because of the smoke, his chest heaving painfully as he coughed and cried. He closed his eyes for a moment, then when he opened them... He saw both Naruto and Sasuke emerge from the fire, their skin burnt and their clothes charred on their bodies.

Was he going to make it...?

Sasuke's expression was full of loathing, his hand shooting up, a gun in his grip. He was **not** going to let the bastard live through this. He wasn't going to let him see another day after what he'd done to everyone he loved and cherished.

"Let him go before I shoot," he growled.

Orochimaru raised two thin eyebrows.

"I'm here because I want to die. Your threats don't bother me the slightest," he quickly took out his own gun and pressed it against Silo's temply. "I'll shoot him before you shoot me. Both of us are going to die today, Sasuke-**kun**."

Naruto gritted his teeth and pushed forward, snatching Sasuke's gun right from his grasp. He took aim before anyone could react and let a bullet a fly, the silver plunging into Orochimaru's shoulder. The shock caused the snake's arm to fall back and the blonde took the chance to knock the man to the ground.

"Naruto!" Sasuke shouted and ran forward, but a loud gunshot ringing out startled him and made him stop in his tracks. His eyes widened and his heart sank when he saw Orochimaru push his lover's body off of his, blood soaked into his shirt.

Naruto had been shot...

Naruto had been shot in the chest...

"As good as dead," the pale man sneered, holding his arm up despite the agony in his shoulder. He aimed at Sasuke, blood splattered on his neck and chest, as he kicked Naruto's limp body through the fire, until he knew he'd rolled down the hill's side that led down to the city below.

It had only taken a few moments for his world... to turn upside down and fall apart.

"D-d-dad..." Silo sobbed, lifting himself up slowly. He didn't care how bad it hurt to move or that he could die if the broken ribs punctured his lungs... He didn't want to believe that his father was dead...

"You mother fucker!" Sasuke yelled at the top of his lungs. But before he could move, bullets flew past him and hit the snake before he even knew it. His eyes widened as he watched the man who'd killed Naruto fall to the ground, dead.

Everything had happened so quickly...

"Get out of there, quick!" Itachi yelled. He was leaning out of the window of a crumbling building not too far away, that overlooked what was going on. Sasuke saw him and was thankful, but...

His eyes watered and tears slipped down his face, his lips tightening as he tried not to break down into sobs. How could his world have been torn apart so quickly? Right before his eyes?

"Now!" Itachi ordered even louder. "Someone found out what was happening and the police are here! I ordered an evacuation and we need to escape while we can!"

"Get Naruto!" Sasuke shouted back, crying. Silo continued to cry behind him. "He was shot and pushed down the hill into the city on the opposite side! Make someone get him now!"

He then went over to Silo and carefully lifted him up into his arms, pressing his dirty face into his chest to comfort him. They both hurt, but they had to leave.

"Silo... stay like that so the flames don't burn your face," his voice shook as he ran through the flames to where he saw Akatsuki members leaving the area. He saw Itachi exit the entrance to the building he'd been in, limping. He was glad he'd told Kisame where they were going... if he hadn't, then they'd all probably be dead...

"Find Uzumaki Naruto. That is our new mission! Find Uzumaki Naruto on the west side of the city while in evacuation!" Itachi ordered everyone.

"Please let him still be alive..." Sasuke pleaded quietly.

------------

ONE WEEK LATER

Many Oto and Akatsuki members had been caught that evening, questioned and jailed. None of them spoke of who their leaders were, for they knew it would do them no good. Slipping up names would only have them killed. The top members of the Akatsuki were able to escape with other younger members, all of them hiding out in one of the closest drug and prostitution rings that they ran.

Naruto's body had been found at the bottom of the hill where Orochimaru had been murdered, his chest still heaving slowly and his eyes open, waiting for someone to save him. When he'd seen Hidan there above him, he'd smiled and quietly asked if his son was okay. His life had been spared and both his lover and son were grateful.

Inside the prostitution ring, Itachi walked down the huge hallway with crutches supporting him. Whores were inside large cages, begging to be let go so they could go home. He glared at them, not in the mood to deal with their pleading. He was waiting for Majik to wake up from his long slumber and was too worried about him possibly not waking up at all.

"Shut them up," he ordered one of the men who were watching over the prostitutes. The bulky member kicked the cage and began to threaten them, scaring all of the young women and men to tears. It was a dark and illegal business that Itachi ran, but he could care less about people that had no real connection to him.

"Itachi-sama," a young woman smiled at him from beside an open door. "Majik-kun is waiting to see you. Hidan-sama is there with him. He woke up about an hour ago and is in stable condition."

Not wasting a moment, the Akatsuki leader entered the room and smiled softly at the sight of his husband kissing Majik all over, too happy to see him alright. He went over to the bedside and was welcomed by two matching grins.

"I think ya should promote me, Weasal-san!" Majik chirped, obviously feeling really well. "I think I did an amazin' job this mission."

Hidan laughed, ruffling his younger brother's black and white hair.

"You might have survived the war, but you were knocked down half-way," Itachi chuckled.

Majik blinked, then scowled. He had bandages wrapped all around his chest and torso, so that the gunshot wounds on his back would heal. They seemed to be healing up nicely.

"Hey, I was able to tell ya where that snake-bastard was! I might've gotten beat up pretty bad, but--" his words stopped flowing from his mouth, his violet eyes becoming nervous. "Silo... Little Miss... Is he okay? Were ya able to save 'im?"

Itachi frowned. "You didn't tell him?"

Hidan shooked his head. "I was too busy asking him how he was to tell him what all happened."

"Did somethin' bad happen?.!" Majik became scared, his heart pumping quickly in his chest. "D-Did he die?.!"

"No, calm down," Hidan cut him off. "Silo's perfectly fine. He was in pretty bad condition, but he's back to normal now and is with Haruka and Sasuke in Naruto's room. The blonde's still recovering. Orochimaru shot him in the chest. He's lucky... the bullet was only two inches away from piercing his heart."

Majik let all of that sink in. Neither of them were dead...

He smiled and couldn't help the tears that welled up in his eyes and fell like raindrops down his scraped cheeks. So much hell, so much torment, so much pain... to end up in joy and happiness. Everyone was alright, everyone was alive... And he could finally just deal with his feelings for Silo.

"Can I... see Little Miss? I thought that I'd never see 'im again..."

"Sure thing. He's visiting with his mom right now, though," Hidan replied.

Majik's lips pursed together.

"His mother...?"

----------

"I can't believe that... y-you didn't actually leave because you didn't love me anymore..."

Naruto's voice broke as he spoke with his ex-wife. It'd been so long since he'd seen her in person and she was standing in front of him crying her heart out, pleading for him to forgive her and let her see her son again. She wouldn't ask for him to love her again because she knew he was in love with someone else, but she would ask to become part of the family again. She'd been scared to be in Silo's life because of her fear of him turning into what her father had been...

"Hidan-san told me what happened when I came looking for you..." Sunako sobbed quietly, rubbing at her eyes. Her mascara was running horribly, but she didn't care at that moment. "And I realized I had b-been scared for nothing... Silo wasn't going to be anything like my father at all... P-please forgive me for running away...! I want to be in my son's life!"

Sasuke watched from the other side of his boyfriend's bed, smiling lightly. He could see the longing in Silo's eyes as he sat at Naruto's feet and watching his mother cry to be part of his life again. He'd known the boy had always felt abandoned... but now that feeling could disappear forever.

"Mom... I want you to be back in my life again..." Silo rubbed away his own tears.

"Sunako... Just promise me that you won't leave ever again. Our son deserves better than that," Naruto breathed in deeply. He never thought this would ever happen...

"I-I promise... Silo, I love you, I'm so sorry I e-ever left...! I'm sorry I made you cry and hurt..." the woman went to her son and hugged him tightly. "I just... I wasn't only afraid because I thought you might be like Orochimaru, but... I'd been diagnosed with Schizophrenia and I didn't want you or your father to deal with that..."

Silo's crystal blue eyes widened.

"Schizophrenia...? You had Schizophrenia...? I was diagnosed with Dissociative Disorder when I was ten-years-old..."

Sunako went to open her mouth, but a knock at the door stopped her.

"I wanna speak with Little Miss," Majik's voice came through the thick door.

Silo pulled from his mother reluctantly and climbed off the bed. "I'll be back, Mom. That's a friend of mine," he smiled happily, then ran to the door, opening it. The sight of Majik sitting in a wheelchair with a big grin on his face made his day even greater! Everything was going perfectly! He'd seen Haruka again, had his mother back in his life, and now he could see Majik again.

"I thought Haru-ru was with ya," Majik said, peeking into the room where Sasuke and Sunako were speaking.

"He was, but he left to go somewhere with his dad. But how are you? You'd been asleep for the week that we were here... Did you see the flowers I put by your bed? I put a new one in there every day," Silo smiled prettily. "Haruka-kun thought it would be a better idea to get you a card, but I knew that you'd like my flowers more," he laughed.

Majik laughed with him, grinning.

"Yeah, I liked them a lot. Thank ya. I'm glad you're alright... Nii-san told me what happened and I'm really happy you're alive... I'm sorry I didn't save ya... I tried," the Norwegian boy looked down, ashamed.

"I heard... but you tried and that's all that matters. I'm happy that **you're** alive, especially after getting shot in the back... You're lucky you weren't left paralyzed," Silo pouted, having been really worried.

"Eh, I'm still a cripple for a while."

Silo laughed and leaned down to hug his friend lightly, careful of his wounds.

"But ya know... I wanted to talk to ya about what'd happened before I disappeared in the hospital room that day... I'm sorry for kissin' ya... It was wrong of me and I shouldn't have done it. You're in love with Haru-ru and I'm sure I made ya feel as if ya'd cheated on 'im..."

The crow's cheeks turned pink at the memory.

"I felt that way, yes, but I got over it... I realized I just had to build the courage to tell you that I didn't love you that way... not run away and avoid it... I love Haruka-kun... not you."

Majik flinched, but recovered in an instant. He smiled brightly, ignoring the pain in his heart. His love might've been unrequited, but he still had Silo close to him. He had the sweet boy in his life and that was all he could ask for. He would always love and cherish him, and would protect him from harm no matter what.

His was deeply, truly in love with Uzumaki Silo. He was so deeply in love with him that he started crying on the spot, his happy smile disappearing from his face. He'd hurt because his love couldn't be returned... but the thought of just having Silo in his life, in his presence every day.... it made him extremely happy.

"M-Majik, don't cry! I'm so sorry..." Silo bit his bottom lip, eyes watering.

"No, don't be sorry..." Majik felt so fragile as he sat there crying his heart out. He smiled, salty tears running along the crevices of his lips. He hurt so bad, but was so delightfully happy. Which emotion was right? Which emotion was what he should focus on? "It's okay if ya don't love me that way 'cause as long as you're my best friend, I'll be happy. Remember that."

Silo smiled, his own tears slipping down his face.

"Yeah..."

Majik was so in love with him. He was so in love with him that he would endure any pain for him, he would hold him if he was crying, he would nurture him if he was sick... He almost died for the beautiful boy in front of him, but seeing that gorgeous smile on his face was worth all the pain in the world.

_Little Miss_, _I love ya more than you'll ever know. You're everythin' to me and I would give up everythin' in an instant for ya. I hope ya the best and I promise I'll be here for ya whenever you need me... At least I know what it feels like to love now..._

_Thank ya..._

---------

Itachi's name hadn't been shared in the news when the 'war' had been covered on television. All Japan knew was that there had been a battle between gangs over drugs and the leader of one gang had been murdered. They were still searching for who'd been involved in the fight, but those remaining in the Akatsuki knew they wouldn't get any more information. Because of that, Itachi went back to being a director and actor, and everyone else came back out into the open.

Naruto and Sasuke went back to acting full-time, the blond making Japan his permanent home once again. They got parts together in a new movie called 'Black Canvas' and Sasuke was in a prime-time television show while his lover tried out for new parts in movies. All in all, they were completely happy with how their lives were able to start over.

Haruka, Silo, and Majik started up school again, the three of them as close as they'd always been. Haruka was set for eye surgery in two weeks and was excited to finally see his boyfriend clearly for the first time. Majik was happy by Silo's side, even if he wasn't with him, and did whatever he could to help him. They all joined their own extra-curricular activites; Silo with the Organization To Help Those With Disabilities, Majik with the soccer team, and Haruka with the kendo club.

Silo spent many days at a time getting to know his mother and she became another part of the Uzumaki family again, spending holidays and special occasions with everyone. She kept to her word of never hurting her son again and found that spending time together helped the both of them with their disorders.

Everything seemed to be returning back to normal.

"Silo, get Majik off of the sofa before I knock him off," Naruto shouted to his son as he washed the dishes in their new city-view condo.

Haruka and Silo were sitting on the floor while doing homework as Majik jumped on the couch as if it were a trampoline. He had on skinny jeans and his trademark patched hoodie that was three sizes too big for him. He laughed and laughed, jumping from cushion to cushion.

"I'm havin' fun! You'll never catch me, America!"

"Having fun my ass," Naruto dried his hands off. "And you're too old to play Axis and Allies. I thought once you joined the Akatsuki you would've gained a little bit of maturity."

"Pft, that's what ya get for thinkin'," Majik replied, still hopping around.

Sasuke chuckled from his spot at the kitchen table while Naruto growled and left the kitchen, running into the living room. "If you wanna play Axis and Allies, we'll fuckin' play Axis and Allies."

"Dad... You're just as bad as he is," Silo commented from his spot on the floor, munching on chocolate-covered kettle corn and

"Come here, you little shit!" Naruto laughed and yanked on Majik's hood, pulling him back and knocking them both onto the floor painfully. "O-Owwww! Saaaasuke, get me a bandaid! I think I'm bleeeeeding!" the blond whined.

Majik took that oppurtunity to flick the older man on the forehead and escape, laughing while doing so.

"I win! I win! I win!"

Haruka sighed and put his pencil down. Standing up, he went over to where he could see his friend's outline and grabbing his collar, yanking him to the ground and pulling his arms behind his back. He smirked as Silo cooed in admiration and surprise.

"You're ruining my conversation."

Majik just pouted.

"Lemme go or Imma shit on your chest."

"..."

Yes, everything was returning back to normal.

Well, as normal as it could be.

**And thus ends Just Like Heroin! It was a long way to this point, but I made it! Stay tuned for the epilogue, which will contain Naruto and Sasuke remembering old times and a question will be asked...**

**FIN**


	54. Help

**I know this is misleading, since you all probably thought this was an update. But I have a question for all of you...**

**As some of you know from e-mailing me and asking me where I'm at and why I'm not writing, I'm having an extended bout of writer's block. Like most authors, I feel like what I'm writing is complete shit. I write something, then I delete it and become severely depressed because I LIVED for writing for all of my fans. I need help, I do. Writing was what I did to help relieve stress and get away from life, but I feel like I can't even do that right anymore.**

**I thought of an idea to help work up my writing skills and I wanted to know what you all thought about it...**

**I have stories that I've finished up; I know the plot, I know the results, etc. I wanted to know what you all thought of me re-writing a finished fanfiction of mine but in a different character's perspective or in a different way. If you're interested in that, please review this and tell me which story.**

**Options are limited, but it's between Dotless Dice and When Sounds Become Visual.**

**For example, I could re-write Dotless Dice completely from Sasuke's view and of course, you all know my writing skills have gotten a little better so it'd be deeper and more descriptive than before. It was my first fic, after all.**

**With When Sounds Become Visual, I could have an alternate ending where there wouldn't even be a sequel! I could have it from Sasuke's point of view also, and I could also include an entire chapter to the past between Sasuke and Naruto and how they met! Throw ideas at me and I can work with those! With those stories already written up, it helps me out a lot. I can work around those and see if they help me get through this lengthy writer's block.**

**I just want to get back to writing so my fans are happy. I've heard from a lot of you that my stories have made you smile on a bad day, or helped you get away from troubles, or even inspired you to write fanfictions of your own!**

**If you all will let me, I'd love to write to make you all happy again! Thank you!**

**Vanity**


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